Carlos Arredondo was a regular presence at Occupy Boston’s camp at Dewey Square. With a sparkle in his eye, he would make a child or adult smile with a kind word, and he would explain every detail of his Camp Alex tent to anyone with the time and interest. Camp Alex commemorated his son Alex, who was killed in the Iraq war in 2004, and contained photographs of Alex, letters he had written home from Iraq, Alex’s combat boots and dog tag, and many other artifacts. Now, tragically, Carlos is commemorating his other son’s passing.

Brian Luis Arredondo took his own life in Norwood, Massachusetts, on the 19th of December, 2011. Brian survived his brother, Alexander, by seven years, three months, and twenty four days. Brian is survived by his father and stepmother, Carlos and Melida Arredondo, and his mother, Victoria Foley.  Those close to him said that Brian never fully recovered from the loss of his brother, Lance Corporal Alexander Scott Arredondo, to a sniper’s bullet in Najaf, Iraq.

Brian was “broken” on the day his brother died, according to Carlos Arredondo. Brian was living in Maine at the time. His mother had moved to Bangor three months earlier, to make a new start in life. Carlos and Melida had moved to Florida to be near Melida’s elderly mother. On August 25th, 2004, three U.S. Marines and a Chaplain showed up at Brian’s house in Maine. They would not say why they were there, although Brian knew, but requested to speak with Brian’s mother, Victoria, who was not home at the time. Continue reading “The High Cost of War for One Family” »

Brian L. Arredondo, 24, died by his own hand December 19. He had been distraught for some time about the death of his brother, Alexander S. Arredondo, during the Iraq war.

Many Boston Occupiers and their supporters came to know the story of Brian’s brother Alex during the Dewey Square occupation as his family created and maintained ‘Camp Alex,’ an anti-war  memorial dedicated to the fallen Marine. Carlos Arredondo, Brian and Alex’s father, was also a Dewey Square Occupier himself.

An Occupier who visited with Carlos and Melida Arredondo yesterday asked how Occupy Boston could help:

“Carlos said that the best ways are to make the issues visible. Suicide among military members and families of military are too prevalent. In the last two years, more U.S. service members took their own lives than were killed in combat.”

The family has extended an invitation to all to join them for the vigil and march, which will begin at 6 pm at the First Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Jamaica Plain, 6 Eliot St, Boston, MA 02130. The march will be to the post office that was renamed in honor of Alex.

A Brian Arredondo Memorial Fund has been set up to cover memorial expenses at The Cooperative Bank, 40 Belgrade Avenue, Roslindale, Massachusetts 02131.

Occupy Boston invites you to its first Monday night Community Gathering: it’s an Open House 🙂