BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Twenty years ago, Kern County resident Angel De Jesus Lucio was killed in Iraq alongside two other soldiers on a security escort mission in Ar Ramadi. This Veterans Day, 23ABC sat down with Lucio's mother as we remember those who served our country.
Angel De Jesus Lucio enlisted in August of 2002 and died on Nov. 11th, 2006, at the age of 22. Lucio, an Army sergeant, was serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom at the time of his death.
"He was the second oldest in the family. He had four younger brothers. He always took care of them, even when they went out socially. He would always make sure that they were behaving," said Marina Lucio, Angel's mother, through an interpreter.
Twenty years ago, 23ABC spoke with Angel De Jesus Lucio's father, Ignacio Lucio, shortly after his death, and before Angel was laid to rest in Los Angeles.
Ignacio said then it was hard to hear of soldiers dying, fearing one day they would receive news like it.
Now, 20 years later, Angel's mother, Marina, says that days like Veterans Day bring mixed emotions.
"It's a day of mixed emotions. I get very sad. I get happy because I recall, above all, his childhood, what he went through, and the joyous times that we had together," Marina said.
Each year, Marina says the family travels down to the cemetery to pay their respects and remember who Angel was, and on days like Veterans Day she says she still feels Angel's presence.
"Flood of memories, thoughts come through my mind on Veterans Day every day because it's so many things that have happened. The images that I see of soldiers marching, when I hear the bugles on this day, I feel like I can see him right then and there in his uniform," Marina said.
Angel's memory was commemorated in the Kern County Portrait of a Warrior Gallery in 2021.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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