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July 13, 2007

Sixty-one candles lit for missing soldier Alex Jimenez

By Yadira Betances , Staff Writer

LAWRENCE | Yellow and white candles flickered in the wind as family members, friends and strangers gathered outside 11 Albion St. to mark the two months since Army Spc. Alex Jimenez disappeared in Iraq.

In a sign of solidarity, they prayed that Jimenez, 25, missing since May 12 returns home safe.

"For the country, Alex is a missing soldier, but for us, he is the brother, the son who is not with us here today," said Angel Mendez, of Hispanic Assembly of God. "We have a strong faith that he will be found alive."

The home, which is that of Jimenez's father, Andy Jimenez, has had a yellow ribbon on the door since his son's disappearance. The chain-link fence is adorned with American and Dominican flags, and yellow bunting. A poster of Alex Jimenez in uniform hangs from one of the windows with the words, "We are with You."

Jimenez was among three soldiers believed captured by a group linked to al-Qaida during an ambush south of Baghdad. He and Pvt. Byron Fouty, 19, of Michigan are still missing, although their ID cards were found later in a house north of Baghdad. The body of the third soldier was found in the Euphrates River.

Last night's vigil featured prayers and reflection by the Rev. Edwin Rodriguez, pastor of El Faro Universal Church (Beacon Church), and Mendez.

"Through all the pain I've gone through, your support and prayers have been a gift to me," Andy Jimenez said.

Yesterday morning, Jimenez said he woke up thinking of the morning of May 12 when officers came to tell him his son was missing. He said it was then that his nightmares began.

"Nothing would mean more to me than to have Alex back," he said before the vigil.

Maria Teresa Martinez and her daughter Laura Santana helped set up 61 candles on a window pane set on the pavement | to mark the days Alex has been missing.

Neither one knows the family, but wanted to offer their support.

"It's a terrible moment to be alone and we wanted to be with him," Martinez said. Her daughter added, "This gives them the strength to go on."

Martinez and Santana attended a Mass at St. Mary of the Assumption last month and stayed until midnight.

Attending the vigil were veterans and area residents who have relatives in the military, including some in Iraq.

Stacie Hawkins' husband, Anthony, has been in Iraq since September. She attended the vigil wearing a T-shirt that read, "Army Wife."

"I wanted to come not just to be another person in the crowd, but to show solidarity," Hawkins said. "I can't imagine what it is like and I think, 'What if it was my husband?'"

Alexander Castillo of Lawrence, assistant pastor at Monte de Oracion Church (Mountain of Prayer) knows too well the stress that comes from having a family member in Iraq. His older brother, Luis, served in the Gulf War and his younger brother, Ariel, was in Iraq.

"We would go two to three months without hearing from them," Castillo said. "It was nerve-racking for us, especially when we would hear stuff in the news about soldiers dying and not knowing if it was one of your own."

Also attending last night's vigil were Joan and Paul Croteau of Lawrence.

Last month, Joan sent Alex's father, Ramon "Andy" Jimenez, a letter of support along with an angel pin decorated with red, white and blue crystals. In turn, Jimenez gave Croteau a photograph of Alex in uniform.

She placed the photograph on a heart cutout and wore it on her shirt, along with a pin of an American flag bearing a cross.

"I wanted to come to support him," said Croteau. "This is not just for Alex, but for all the men and women who are sacrificing their lives so we can have peace and freedom."

Mary De Jesus has known Alex all of her life and said she would not have missed last night's vigil for anything.

"When you hear about those things, you always think it happens to other people," said De Jesus, who attended with daughters, Stephanie Corcoran, 4, and Shannelly DeJesus, 13.

"When I found out it was Andy's son, I was shocked. It was terrible."

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