Christine CarrilloMore than 1,000 people surrounded Newport...

Christine Carrillo

More than 1,000 people surrounded Newport Harbor High School’s

flagpole, which bears the names of alumni who died in World War II,

to honor yet another one of their graduates killed in action.

Students, school and district officials, family and friends

gathered Tuesday afternoon to pay tribute to Jose Garibay, a Marine

corporal from Costa Mesa who was killed last month fighting in Iraq.

After the sounds of a bagpipe rendition of Amazing Grace settled,

the audience fell silent. Not a word was spoken as the different

speakers took the stage to share their thoughts about Garibay, a

former student who has become a local hero as the first Orange County

casualty in the war.

“It’s just really powerful when teachers and students come

together and it’s especially powerful when it’s to honor Jose and the

other service men and women,” said Phil D’Agostino, a teacher who

helped organize the tribute. “I thought it was very solemn and very

appropriate.”

From the lowering of the flag to half-staff to the presentation of

a school plaque to his family, the ceremony revealed how the school

will never forget him.

“I think it’s nice that even though he’s been gone a few years

from the school ... that they’re doing this,” said 22-year-old Aaron

Maher, a close friend of Garibay’s. “It’s just a shame that he’s not

here to see it.”

Maher, a fellow alumnus and former football player, sat with the

Garibay family and struggled to fight back tears as Garibay’s

teachers and family spoke about the letters and messages the young

man left behind.

He was not alone.

Although many of the students who gathered around the stage

Tuesday afternoon didn’t know Garibay personally, they couldn’t help

being affected.

Seeing his fellow classmates gather to remember his older brother

and give their condolences to his family, 15-year-old Gabriel

Barragan, Garibay’s half-brother, was touched by all the support.

“It was a great service ... and everyone’s in support of him,”

said Gabriel, who is a sophomore at Newport Harbor. “It’s great to

see everyone come out. It was somewhat surprising to see this many

people come out on behalf of my brother.”

Martha Fluor, the president of the Newport-Mesa Unified School

Board, said she wasn’t surprised by the turnout and was pleased to

see students come together to honor one of their contemporaries who

made “the ultimate sacrifice.”

Others who have lost their lives in the war in Iraq were also on

the students and teachers’ minds.

“This tremendous ripple affect that we’re having is not just a

tribute to Jose Garibay but to all the men and women out there

today,” said Mike Bargas, who has coached football at the high school

for the past 12 years.