Friday, February 4, 2011

Descanse En Paz, Miguel - Rest In Peace Feb 2011


Last month one of our brave Jocotepec firefighters
stopped to help a motorist on the highway. 
He was struck by a vehicle and killed.

He was OFF DUTY!

On his days off from the fire department, he was also a volunteer 
medic on the Cruz Roja ambulance.

Miguel Tonatiuh Ribera Torres died the way he lived - 
helping strangers.

Gracias, Miguel, for your life of service.

Miguel was 24 years old and leaves behind a widow and a three year old son.


 There is a memorial for Miguel in the Joco fire station.


Donations for Miguel's widow and son
may be made at the Jocotepec Fire Department.



15 comments:

  1. Sad to hear to hear that such a waste of a life, especially for someone trying to help out. I know from personal experience that drivers do not give a crap about anything other than speeding home. We hear crashed below our house on the main road weekly, it is absolutely nuts the way these so called members of the "manana" club have to get somewhere so damn fast.....

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  2. So true, Tancho, so true. Public Safety is a very dangerous profession. Add to that that drunks are 'attracted' to the lights and will sometimes just plow through the entire scene.
    Thanks for the comment.

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  3. That is just so sad... a terrible waste.

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  4. Very sad indeed - if everyone could slow down and give roadside effort a wide berth less of this kind if thing would happen. A dream I know.

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  5. Damn that is tragic but I am impressed that so many Mexicans like Miguel are selfless and giving.
    RIP

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  6. Nancy - you hit the nail right on the head, what a waste.

    Hola Calypso! - Yep, you got that exactly right.

    Rick - Ok, time for you to come back to Mexico. We always need more people like you here.

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  7. FYI — a few donations are coming in for Miguel's wife and son. If you would like to make a donation you can use the paypal button on this blog and I'll take the money over to her myself.
    Let me know by comment, email, or on the paypal 'instructions' that your donation is for her so I'll know.
    Gracias!

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  8. This is a first-class damn shame, and I did not even know the guy. Everything about it is sad. I am assuming the culprit was drunk. An instant lynching would have had my enthusiastic support.

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  9. I'm so sorry to hear this news - Miguel had so much more to give, a life lost too quickly...

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  10. Felipe - boy, I'm on your team. Well put, as usual.

    C and G - thanks for your kind comments.

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  11. Just to let you know. . .a very kind and generous reader of my blog has sent a sizable donation to the widow and son of Miguel to help them through this difficult time. As soon as it clears the banks, I will ask Lalo, the Fire Chief, to take me over to her house to deliver the money. I will also translate and print this post with all your kind comments and wishes for her to see that Miguel's life was appreciated and touched, not only by his coworkers and family, but by some total strangers as well.
    Thank you all for your comments, I'm sure they will be moving for her to read.
    M

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  12. Today I was given another 1000 pesos from a very generous Canadian couple and another 500 pesos from another couple for the widow of Miguel. Will deliver the cash to her this weekend.
    Your generosity is amazing to me.
    Thanks to all.

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  13. Trailrunner, thank you for taing the lead in helping this family. Firefighters in Mexico are an oft-overlooked group and deserve all the help you can provide.

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  14. Thanks, Harold! You're so right.

    I'm to meet with her tomorrow. I'll post follow up.

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  15. DONE!
    This afternoon I gave nearly 3000 pesos, all donated by foreigners, to Ale and her son Alan. She is a delightful young girl who works full time cleaning houses and goes to school to become a teacher. She only has one more semester to go and then must take her tests and then will be teaching.
    She said it has been really hard losing Miguel but it's much harder for Alan who doesn't understand where his daddy has gone.
    Thank you to all from Alejandra and Alan!

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