Pedro J.-Colon-Obituary

Sgt. Pedro J. Colon

Cicero, Illinois

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Cicero, Illinois

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At one point, Pedro J. Colon was homeless and living in a Chicago shelter, having been kicked out by his parents in New York and carrying all his possessions in plastic garbage bags. Eventually, social workers helped him get housing. "The thing that most stuck out was his positive attitude," said Marcela Porras, an insurance broker and freelance writer. "He decided he wasn't going to be just a statistic." Colon, 25, Cicero, Ill., was killed Feb. 19 when his unit was attacked in Baghdad. He graduated high school in 2001 and was assigned to Fort Hood. "I thought he was amazing," said Mary O'Donnell, an English and history teacher. "He was incredibly hardworking. He had kind of an old soul." Many of his teachers, even his track coach, said they had no idea Colon had been living such a precarious existence. "He would always say 'hi' to all his teammates when he arrived at practice," said Hector Freytas, a former teammate. "He had friends, girlfriends, the whole shebang." "It's a shame he couldn't come back and tell his story to the kids here," said social worker Michelle Murray. "He'd be such a role model."

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You will never be forgotten my Brother in Arms.

You’ll always be PJ to me and I’ll miss you forever. You were my first love and I never even told you.

When I was stationed in Fort Bragg after work we always had a good time with the rest of the motorpool. I have no clue how he could run his two miles so fast.... From generator mechanic to infintriy thats what wanted to be. He died with accomplished dreams..... And on a less serious note, he always kept Midol and a hella awesome video game when I didn't feel so well

Hello,
We would like to express our deepest condolences and also let the Colon Family know that we recently made a small donation to Homes For Heroes in honor of Pedro J. Colon US Army Sergeant. We recognize that this is a humble tribute, but we wanted you to know that it is heartfelt and made possible by thousands of like-minded individuals in the youth hockey community and beyond. We will not forget. May God Bless you and keep you strong.
Sincerely,
Charlie Gili &...

Pedro, even in a short period of time you were able to make a huge impact on my life. I'll never forget my first day in the motor pool you reenlisted for your 11B contract during the height of the Iraq war. My first words to you as a uneducated and wet behind the ears private were, " reclass to 11B, don't they have huge bonuses?" You responded with I didn't do it for the money. That moment still has an impact on my life.

Till Valhalla brother.

Young men like Sgt. Pedro Colon are an inspiration to people young and old. I am sorry he was not able to come back to share his life and legacy. I thank him for his service.

For the 1 year I knew you, my friend, you touched my heart and filled it with happiness. You will always be in my heart and in my mind. You always knew how to make me laugh even in the coldest climate of South Korea. Thanks brother and may you rest in peace.

To the family and friends of Sgt. Pedro J. Colon:
Always remembering Pedro. "Some gave all."

PJ