Mother of Marine killed in action presses on

Lolita Harper

She has paid the ultimate price, but monetary concerns were the last

thing on Simona Garibay’s mind.

Simona Garibay, 51, held firm Wednesday to her humble stance that

she does not want to create a “bank account,” as she called it, as a

result of her son Jose Garibay’s death. She doesn’t want anything

more than is necessary. She doesn’t want to profit from her grief,

she said.

The 21-year-old Marine corporal was killed Sunday near Nasiriyah,

Iraq, after encountering an ambush by enemy troops, officials

reported. Garibay, who enlisted with the Marines at 18, is the first Orange County casualty reported in the war. Garibay and the six other

Marines who died in that incident were based at North Carolina’s Camp

Lejeune.

Family members on Wednesday asked Simona to be realistic. She has

not worked all week -- she found out about her son’s death on Monday

morning -- and will not work for at least another week while the

funeral service is planned. Her employer has not given her paid time

off, so she is going without for a while, her niece, Lucina Aguilar,

said.

“She doesn’t want anything extra, but she has finally accepted

that the next few weeks are going to be really tough without

working,” Aguilar said.

Military officials told Garibay to expect her son’s body within

seven days. Jose Garibay’s body will make a stop in Washington, D.C.

before it is shipped to Costa Mesa. Services will be held at St.

Joachim’s Church as soon as his body is delivered.

Those who wish to convey condolences or bring by cards or flowers

are more than welcome to drop them off at the family home at 1013

Arbor St. The door was wide open Wednesday and the family was

welcoming and grateful for support.

The shrine had doubled in size since the day before, as more

bouquets and handwritten notes surrounded it, and spilled onto the

porch of the tan stucco house, where the family set up another

memorial. The American and Mexican flags remained, dancing slowly in

the soft ocean breeze.

Young children played on the front lawn Wednesday without having

to maneuver around TV cameras and pushed each other on the swing that

had been blocked by a news van on Tuesday.

The sentiments and support of her community help more than

anything tangible, Garibay said. All she needs now is the love of her

family, strength from God and some rest, she said.

* LOLITA HARPER writes columns Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays

and covers culture and the arts. She may be reached at (949) 574-4275

or by e-mail at [email protected].