In this edition, our pages collect the emotional ceremony held in recent days to honor Sergeant Alex Jimenez, who was captured on May 12, 2007 by enemy forces in Iraq. His remains were recovered a year later, on July 8, 2008.
During all that time, the whole city gave warmth and comfort to his parents, Doña Maria Duran and Andy Jimenez. We all had high hopes that he was still alive and would return home someday. As fate showed, it was not to be.
When we learned that his remains had been identified, the entire city mourned and accompanied him to his final resting place. Although Alex is buried in the National Cemetery of Farmingdale, Long Island close to his mother, he remains here, very close to our hearts.
Although it was noble seeing how many people, especially veterans from different wars gathered to dedicate a bridge to his memory, it is no wonder in a city like Lawrence that in the past had recognized the sacrifice of those soldiers who have given the best of their life, their youth, to protect our freedoms.
As this Thanksgiving approaches, it is our duty to kneel and give thanks not only to the men and women who are no longer with us, but to those that are still around us, our Veterans. They are the only ones having rights.
We have only obligations!
