Immigrant of the Day: Rafael Reynosa Suarez (Mexico)

Born in Mexico, Rafael Reynosa Suarez, 28 a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marines, was killed in acytion died on May 29, 2004 in Ramadi, Iraq. He is survived by a wife and a daughter.

At age 13, Reynosa immigrated to the United States from Mexico with his family. He left for Iraq two days after learning his wife was pregnant and was killed five months before their daughter was due. Reynosa met his wife, Dinora Reynosa in 1992 at Valley High School in Santa Ana. She last spoke to her husband by telephone two days before his death.

Reynosa played playing soccer for two years at Santa Ana College. Later, he worked as a warehouse manager for Montgomery Ward. Five months after he married in November 2000, the warehouse closed and Reynosa joined the Marines.

KJ