| Javier de la Garza September 6, 2010 Afghanistan |
| My Son My Hero Letter from a Mothers Heart We will never forget 9/11 and all the heros that gave their lives for us. I remember exactly where I was on that day. I called my son who was on an army training site somewhere in California, by some miracle he managed to answer a cell phone. I let him know what was happening in Our United States. I told him, there will be a war and you must be prepared. He informed his buddies of what was happening. I knew in my heart at that time that things would never be the same. It was the start of a new world for all of us. Javier De La Garza Jr., Son of the Dalia and the late Javier De la Garza, signed up for the army at age seventeen, but his aspirations to join the army came when he was a mere toddler. He wore his camouflage clothing, walked around with his little canteen and his army belt. He was know to most as Jay, to to his army comrades as Javier and to his DRS buddies as Javie. Jay served four years in the army. One year in Iraq in the Military intelligence division. Although Jay's life was cut short at the early age of 27 he lived life to the fullest. There was never a stranger when it came to Jay. He made friends everywhere he went, loved people, traveling, and serving. In 2010, Jay decided to join a company that hired civilians to work in conjunction with the military. He loved the fact that being in Afghanistan gave him the opportunity to meet people from all different parts of the world. He said to me," Mom it is so amazing to see people from different cultures come together during chow time and to listen to the many different languages spoken here.” Jay called or text-ed or emailed me on a continuous basis. I lived through his eyes. I saw the people the places he worked and especially his deep love for life. It was through our conversations and photos that I could understand what was going on On the other side of the world. I knew the dangers of this life. No one can fully understand how one chooses to go to a place that has so much chaos. As a mother I did beg him not to go, but as we all know God gave us all the power of choice. He said, “Mom I can die anywhere or anytime.” I am very proud of my son and his zest for life. He did what he thought was best for himself and his country. He is my hero. |
Javier de la Garza was done with his tour of duty in Iraq but was in Afghanistan working as a civilian. The 27-year-old man’s life was cut short during an attack. Family members told Action 4 news that De la Garza was sleeping in his bunker at a military base in Afghanistan when it was came under fire on Sunday. They said De la Garza did not make it out of the attack alive. De la Garza had already served two tours of duty as a soldier in Iraq and had returned to the Valley a year and a half. But just a few months ago, he decided to go to Afghanistan to work as a software technician. |
| JAVIER DE LA GARZA JR. 6/17/1983 – 9/6/2010 Son of the Dalia and the late Javier De la Garza, enlisted in the army at age seventeen, but his aspirations to join the army came when he was a mere toddler. He wore his camouflage clothing, walked around with his little canteen and his army belt. He was known to most as Jay, to his army comrades as Javier and to his DRS buddies as Javie. Jay served four years in the army. One year in Iraq in the Military intelligence division. Although Jay's life was cut short at the early age of 27 he lived life to the fullest. There was never a stranger when it came to Jay. He made friends everywhere he went, loved people, traveling, and serving. In 2010 Jay decided to join a company that hired civilians to work in conjunction with the military. He loved the fact that being in Afghanistan gave him the opportunity to meet people from all different parts of the world. We are very proud of him and his zest for life. He did what he thought was best for himself and his country. He is our hero. Javier De La Garza Jr. is survived by his mother, Dalia De La Garza; sisters, Anjali and Gabriella De La Garza; maternal grandparents Angelica and Reynaldo Navarro; paternal grandfather Santos De La Garza and numerous Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and Friends who will remember him fondly. |
