Story Of The Year - 2003: Marine is remembered daily

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is the fourth in a series of the top stories of each year since 2000. Look for the 2004 story of the year Friday.

Christmas is a hard time of the year for former Costa Mesa resident Simona Garibay, whose 21-year-old son, Jose, became the first Orange County resident killed in the Iraq War in 2003.

“Every day she remembers him, every day,” Crystal Garibay said, acting as an interpreter for her mother, Simona, who speaks limited English.

Marine Cpl. Jose “Angel” Garibay, who had dreams of becoming a police officer one day, died March 23, 2003, near Nasiriyah, Iraq, during the first wave of the U.S.-led invasion.

He was killed when a band of Iraqi troops pretending to surrender to U.S. forces ambushed his group of Marines.

Jose’s Garibay’s death helped to begin a national dialogue on so-called “green card” soldiers, who serve in the Armed Forces, but are not U.S. citizens. Congress would later streamline the process for legal residents serving in the military to become American citizens, citing Jose Garibay’s story.

“I want people to remember what he did for our country and what a hero he is,” Crystal Garibay said. “One thing I remember was his smile — I just remember his smile,” she said.

Jose Garibay earned citizenship posthumously.

He was buried at Riverside National Cemetery with full military honors. A few days ago, Simona Garibay dreamed that she was hugging her son.

“She was telling me ‘I am so happy, I woke up with such a good mood,’” Crystal Garibay said. “She said, ‘He came over and he hugged me — my smile wouldn’t go away.’”

Jose Garibay was a baby when Simona immigrated with him to Costa Mesa from her home in Jalisco, Mexico.

Growing up, Jose Garibay attended Whittier Elementary School and later played football at Newport Harbor High School.

Since her son’s death, Simona Garibay, who works as a hospital housekeeper, has moved from a rental property in Westside Costa Mesa to a house in her name in Santa Ana. It was one of her son’s dreams that she would one day own her own home.

Crystal Garibay named her son, Angel, after her older brother.

Angel was born Aug. 14, 2008, 10 days after what would have been Jose Garibay’s 27th birthday.

“My mom loves my baby,” Crystal Garibay said. “She sees my brother in him, he’s got the same dimple my brother had, and his feet.”