Reprint from the Progress Times - March 28, 2008
©Progress Times 2008 - All Rights Reserved

 

Candlelight vigil planned for Mission soldier

 

The City of Mission, along with America’s Last Patrol, will coordinate a candlelight vigil on Friday evening, March 28, at 7 p.m., in honor of Spc. Jose "Joe" Rubio who was killed, along with three other men, Sunday in Baghdad by a roadside bomb.

Rubio is now the second soldier from Mission who has been killed in Iraq, the first being Omar Flores in July 2006.

Rubio leaves behind his wife of two years, Jennifer Guerra, and their 11-month old son, Nikolai.

Guerra received the news early Monday morning.

"Early on Monday, my grandfather knocked on my door and said there were two guys from the Army there," said Guerra. "I said, ‘nothing happened, right?’ They just told me to sit down and then told me what happened."

Jennifer remembers Rubio being deeply affected by the war before enlisting in 2006.

"All this stuff with the war started coming out and he felt really strongly about it and kept saying he wanted to make a difference," said Guerra. "He wanted to make a change, to do something big."

Upon arrival in Iraq in October Rubio was given supply duties because of a back injury. However he soon returned to the infantry once he recovered.

Rubio, who was born in Reynosa but attended school in Mission, graduated from South Texas College with an Associates Degree in Computer Science in 2005. He began attending the University of Texas-Pan American but soon enlisted.

Guerra says Rubio just wanted to help.

"He was always the type of person that was there for you," said Guerra. "He was never the type to show his emotions but he would do things. The last time I talked to him he said ‘you tell Nikolai I love him.’ I’m going to tell my son that his father loved him a lot. I’m going to tell him that his father was a hero."

The candlelight vigil will be held at Guerra’s Mission home at City Bride and Flower Shop on Conway and First Street. America’s Last Patrol will also participate with a flag raising ceremony.

Mission Mayor Beto Salinas says the vigil will be a good opportunity for the community to comfort the Rubio family.

"Our community and nation mourn the loss of Spc. Rubio and are not sure what they can do for the family as they did not know them personally, however, this will be an opportunity for everyone to come and show their support and to pay their respects to the family," said Salinas.

Rubio’s body was returned to the United States Tuesday evening. Funeral arrangements are pending his return to McAllen.