Carlos Arredondo

Arredondo had two sons Marine Lance Corporal Alexander Scott Arredondo and Brian Luis Arredondo with his first wife, Victoria Foley. Alexander Scott and Brian Luis were born in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised on South Street in Jamaica Plain, Boston. After the couple divorced, both sons lived with their mother. Alexander graduated from the Blue Hills Regional Technical School, Canton in 2002 and joined the US Marines the same year.

Alexander Scott was killed in Najaf, Iraq, during his second tour of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom on August 25, 2004. Later that day, which was Carlos Arredondo's 44th birthday, the Marines Corps Casualty Assistance Team arrived at the Arredondo home in Hollywood, Florida, to notify the family of their son's death. The Marines had not brought a chaplain with them and spoke with Arredondo in the front yard of his home. Arredondo was distressed by the news, and became upset and agitated when the Marines refused to leave.{{cite web|last=Richards|first=Eugene|title=War Is Personal: Carlos Arredondo/Age 45/Roslindale, Massachusetts|url=http://www.thenation.com/article/war-personal-carlos-arredondoage-45roslindale-massachusetts#|work=TheNation.com|publisher=The Nation|accessdate=19 April 2013|date=20 April 2006}}

After some time went by, according to news reports, Arredondo was so distraught that he grabbed a hammer and proceeded to destroy the Marines' van. He then grabbed gasoline and climbed in the Marines' van and splashed gasoline inside the van. A propane torch he had brought inside was lit accidentally, Arredondo said.{{cite web|url=http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?38388-Father-who-burned-self-after-son-s-death-becomes-citizen&p=209140&viewfull=1|title=Father who burned self after son's death becomes citizen |work=LeatherneckTimes.com|date=December 12, 2006|agency=Associated Press|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140314000229/http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?38388-Father-who-burned-self-after-son-s-death-becomes-citizen&p=209140&viewfull=1|archivedate=March 14, 2014|url-status=dead}}{{better source|date=July 2014|reason=Potential copyright violation - copypasted article at discussion forum}}

Arredondo was pulled out to safety by the Marines; however, his clothes had caught fire and burned 26% of his body. He received second- and third-degree burns. He was hospitalized in a burn unit for two weeks followed by outpatient home-based treatment. Despite his burns, he attended his son's funeral on a stretcher with two paramedics at his side.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/01/nyregion/01father.html?_r=0|newspaper=New York Times|date=1 February 2007|title=A Father With a Coffin, Telling of War's Grim Toll|first=Trymaine |last=Lee}} Arredondo and his wife Melida both spent time as inpatient psychiatric patients.{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/obituaries/2012/01/23/brian-arredondo-troubled-brother-death-father-trauma/OF5Frlp5FUxI7Ucsy7aRFN/story.html|title=Brian Arredondo, 24; troubled by brother's death, father's trauma|newspaper=Boston Globe|location=Boston, MA|date=23 January 2012|first=Bryan|last=Marquard|accessdate=18 April 2013}}

The incident is highlighted in the documentary film The Prosecution of an American President, directed by Dave Hagen and David J. Burke. Arredondo and his wife Melida traveled to Hollywood to speak at a screening for the film at the Arclight theater in October, 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ydPb4NbqoU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/6ydPb4NbqoU |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title= The Prosecution of an American President Q & A|website=YouTube |date=24 October 2012}}{{cbignore}}

Arredondo, who once was an illegal (undocumented) immigrant{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12327-2005Jan15_2.html|title=A Father Transformed by Anguish: Scars Define the Man Who Burned Himself After Son's Death in Iraq|work=washingtonpost.com|date=January 15, 2005|agency=David Finkel}}{{cite web |url=http://univisionnews.tumblr.com/post/48132587586/carlos-arredondo-grieving-dad-turned-hero-in-boston |title=Carlos Arredondo, Grieving Dad Turned Hero in Boston Tragedy |work=univisionnews.tumblr.com |first=CRISTINA |last=COSTANTINI |date=April 16, 2013 |agency=Univision |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419033806/http://univisionnews.tumblr.com/post/48132587586/carlos-arredondo-grieving-dad-turned-hero-in-boston |archivedate=2013-04-19 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/04/cowboy-hat-carlos-arredondo-boston-marathon|title=The Man in the Cowboy Hat: Meet Carlos Arredondo, a Hero of the Boston Bombings|work=MotherJones.com|date=15 April 2013|first=Tasneem |last=Raja}} and later became a US citizen{{cite web|url=http://www.anorak.co.uk/354146/news/boston-marathon-bombings-carlos-arredondo-is-the-illegal-immigrant-who-was-there-to-help.html|title=Boston Marathon Bombings: Carlos Arredondo is the illegal immigrant who was there to help|work=anorak.co.uk|date=April 16, 2013|agency=Anorak}} is originally from Costa Rica. At the time he had no insurance and was self-employed{{citation needed|date=April 2013}} working as a handyman. His story made national and international headlines. His recovery took over a year. Since that time he apologized to the Marines for his drastic actions. He was not prosecuted.{{cite web|url=http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/latinos/carlos-arredondo.htm|title=Father of dead Marine won't be charged with setting fire to van|work=latinamericanstudies.org|first=Ken|last= Kaye|date=27 August 2004}} His son was also awarded Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat "V" and the Purple Heart for his services during the battle.

Arredondo along with his second wife Melida{{cite web|url=http://cognoscenti.wbur.org/2013/04/17/boston-marathon-bombing-carlos-arredondo-eileen-mcnamara|title=The Redemption Of The Man In The Cowboy Hat|date= 17 April 2013|first=Eileen|last= McNamara|work=Cognoscenti.org|publisher= 90.9 WBUR }} were members of the now defunct organization Gold Star Families For Peace{{cite web|url=http://www.gsfp.org/|title=Gold Star Families For Peace|access-date=2007-09-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050825075106/http://www.gsfp.org/|archive-date=2005-08-25|url-status=dead}} whose mission stated: {{Quote|text=We as families of soldiers who have died as a result of war are organizing to be a positive force in our world to bring our country's sons and daughters home from Iraq, [and] to minimize the human cost of this war...}}

Arredondo and his wife Mélida became activists for peace and have had speaking engagements around the country speaking about his personal tragedy and to parents about the methods recruiters use to enlist youth.{{citation needed|date=February 2013}} He especially works to reach out to the Spanish-speaking community.{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/07/13/affected_by_violence_they_walk_together_in_sorrow_hope/|title=Affected by violence, they walk together is sorrow, hope|work=boston.com|first=Vivian|last= Nereim|date=13 July 2009}}

The Arredondos requested during Mitt Romney's governorship to have flags placed at half-staff upon the death of a Massachusetts native related to his or her war injuries in 2005, a wish that Alex had when he noticed after his first deployment how the public was not noticing the war deaths. They have also lobbied for families' decisions to allow press to cover the arrival of their troops' remains from the combat zone, which was banned due to a statute from George Bush, Sr.'s administration.

On December 12, 2006, Arredondo became a U.S citizen, with the help of U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1946410,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213120944/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1946410,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 13, 2009|date=9 December 2012|title=The Afghan War Through a Marine Mother's Eyes|first=Mike |last=Barnicle|magazine=Time}} He became eligible for citizenship under USCIS INA 329A which allowed parents of those killed in action to become US citizens. He legally changed his name to Alexander Brian Arredondo upon attaining his citizenship.{{fact|date=August 2022}}

During a daytime peaceful anti-war protest on September 15, 2007, Arredondo was physically assaulted by a mob of counter protesters. The assailants followed Arredondo as he pulled his son's memorial, purposely yelling epithets and eventually seizing a photo of Alex from the casket. An attempt to retrieve his dead son's photo provoked the men to kick Arredondo in the head, legs, stomach and back. Police defused the situation before major damage could be inflicted.{{cite news|last=Swanson|first=David|title=The People Who Assaulted a Gold Star Father on September 15th|url=http://warisacrime.org/carlos|date=18 September 2007|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419103237/http://warisacrime.org/carlos|archivedate=19 April 2013}}

In August 2011, a federal post office at 655 Centre St in Jamaica Plain, Boston, a neighborhood where his son grew up, was renamed "Lance Corporal Alexander Scott Arredondo, United States Marine Corps Post Office Building" following legislation proposed by US Representative Michael E. Capuano and co-sponsored by nine other legislators, and later signed by the President in January 2011.{{cite news |title=Jamaica Plain post office to be renamed Sunday in hero's honor |url=http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/jamaica_plain/2011/08/jamaica_plain_post_office_to_b.html |publisher=Boston Globe |date=August 5, 2011 |accessdate=April 19, 2013 |first=Matt |last=Rocheleau}}

On December 19, 2011, Arredondo's surviving son, Brian, died by suicide after battling depression and drug addiction ever since his brother's death He was 24 years old at the time.{{cite web|url=http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2011/12/20/father-loses-second-son|title=Father loses second son|first=Alex |last=Ashlock |work=Here and Now|publisher= WBUR/Trustees of Boston University|date= 20 December 2011}} Subsequently, the Arredondos dedicated themselves to attending suicide groups sessions and conferences, especially related to military-related suicides. Both worked with elected officials on the state and local level to change policies pertaining to such suicides.{{cn|date=August 2019}}{{vague|date=December 2013}}

{{seealso|Boston Marathon bombing}}

On April 15, 2013, Arredondo attended the 2013 Boston Marathon. At around 2:50 p.m. EDT (18:50 UTC), two bombs were detonated during the race in Copley Square, just before the finish line.{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/15/us/boston-marathon-explosions/index.html|title=Explosions rock Boston Marathon, several injured|publisher=CNN|accessdate=April 15, 2013|date=April 15, 2013}} Arredondo immediately sprinted into action and he can be seen in a series of photos and videos of the aftermath pulling debris and fencing away from the bloody victims, clearing the way for emergency personnel to tend to their wounds. He saw Jeff Bauman, missing both of his legs and losing blood rapidly. Arredondo lifted Bauman and put him into a wheelchair, and when the fabric used as a tourniquet kept getting caught in the wheels, Arredondo held the fabric out of the way.{{cite web|last1=Mayo|first1=Michael|title=FAME IN A FLASH|url=http://interactive.sun-sentinel.com/bostoncarlos/index.html?new|website=interactive.sun-sentinel.com/|accessdate=June 22, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408182751/http://interactive.sun-sentinel.com/bostoncarlos/index.html?new|archivedate=April 8, 2014|date=April 15, 2013}}

In an iconic photograph, Carlos Arredondo with his cowboy hat is helping rush Jeff Bauman to an ambulance.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/17/us/in-grisly-image-a-father-sees-his-son.html|title= In Grisly Image a Father Sees His Son|first=Tim|last= Rohan|newspaper= New York Times|date= 17 April 2013|accessdate= 17 April 2013|page= A14}} In several images of Carlos rushing Jeff off in the wheelchair, Carlos can be seen pinching one of Jeff’s femoral arteries to prevent fatal blood loss. He remains in touch with the victims of the bombings, including Jeff Bauman. Arredondo was a spectator of the race, there to support and cheer on members of the National Guard Tough Ruck group, who were running to raise money for families of fallen service members and raise awareness about suicide. A soldier was running in honor of his two deceased sons.{{cite news |url=http://www.concordmonitor.com/news/5842784-95/jeff-bauman-gets-visit-from-carlos-arredondo-the-man-who-helped-save-his-life |title=Jeff Bauman gets visit from Carlos Arredondo, the man who helped save his life |newspaper=Concord Monitor |date=24 April 2013 |accessdate=1 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130427001410/http://www.concordmonitor.com/news/5842784-95/jeff-bauman-gets-visit-from-carlos-arredondo-the-man-who-helped-save-his-life |archivedate=27 April 2013 }}

{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20130420053329/http://lightbox.time.com/2013/04/18/the-hero-in-the-cowboy-hat-carlos-arredondos-story-by-eugene-richards/#1 The Hero in the Cowboy Hat: Carlos Arredondo’s Story] TIME Lightbox
• [http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/08/25/father.ablaze/ CNN Report on Arredondo's self-immolation]
• [http://mirror4.video.blip.tv/411Show-CarlosArredondoAManOnFireTrailer947.wmv Video on Carlos Arredondo's story]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• [http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bostonglobe/obituary.aspx?pid=155209351#fbLoggedOut Brian Luis Arredondo's obituary]
• [http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bostonglobe/obituary.aspx?pid=2571674#fbLoggedOut Alexander Scott Arredondo's obituary]
• {{C-SPAN|1023057}}

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Category:American anti–Iraq War activists

Category:Costa Rican emigrants to the United States

Category:Living people

Category:1960 births

Category:People from Jamaica Plain

Category:Undocumented immigrants to the United States