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Paying respects to a ‘brother’
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Posted on Oct 23 2008
Many didn’t even know him but they turned out for a candlelight vigil early yesterday morning for Staff Sgt. Julian Manglona because he was a “brother.”
Cars lined Airport Road with the young and old holding lit candles as police officers led a hearse with the body of Manglona inside.
Manglona, who hailed from Tinian, collapsed during a 6-mile run as part of his training in Fort Hood, Texas, before deployment to Kuwait. He later died at a nearby hospital. He was 39.
“We’re here to pay our respects. That’s all I’m going to do,” said Pfc. Roland Dowai, who along with other members of the U.S. Army’s 302nd Quartermasters, stood on each side of the road as the hearse drove by. “If he’s fighting for the same country as I am, he best well deserves this. We’re brothers by heart.”
Roxanne Pangelinan said she wanted to show her support. She did not know Manglona but has a family member who was in the same battalion.
“Even though we don’t know [Manglona], we want to show support for our island,” she said.
Delia Sablan said she remembers Manglona as a jolly guy. “I just loved that guy. My heard is, you know, for Julian. He’s just a nice guy,” said Sablan, who is a distant relative of Manglona’s.
Sablan said she picked up Manglona from the airport and took him to his aunt’s house after his last tour of duty in the Middle East.
His scheduled trip to Kuwait would have been his second in the region. Manglona left behind a wife, Brenda, and eight children. [B][I](Kristi Eaton)[/I][/B]
