PFC J Restrepo Family Travel Fund

Hello my name is Detective Cruz from the Pembroke Pines Police Department. Approximately one year ago I attended a training class called "Assisting Veterans with Transition. It was recommended during that training that I view a documentary named "Restrepo", which would provide a better understanding of military personnel and thier struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The documentary provided insight on the deployment of the Second Platoon, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team of the U.S. Army into the Korengal Valley. The Korengal Valley was considered the most dangerous area in Afghanistan, where the platoon remained in constant battle with insurgents.

 I was completely moved after watching the documentary and decided to search Google  to learn anything I could about the soldiers that were featured in the documentary and where and how they were doing.  During that search I discovered that PFC Juan Restrepo who was killed on July 22, 2007 during the making of the documentary was from my hometown of Pembroke Pines. I confirmed that he attended high school  and graduated locally from Flanagan High School, also in Pembroke Pines. 

I went on to contact co-workers who were prior military and who knew PFC Restrepo personally in attempts to locate next of kin.  Recently we were able to locate his mother who luckily still resided nearby.  A meeting was set up and PFC Restrepo's mother was honored and very appreciative that we were requesting to rename a local street  in Pembroke Pines after her son. 

A tentative date for the street renaming is October 7, 2016.  PFC Restrepo has a daughter, Ariana, who was not even one when her father was killed and still resides in his native Colombia. Our plans are to assist his older brother Ivan and Ariana with travel from Colombia, food, and lodging to attend this honorable street naming ceremony for her father.  

PFC Restrepo was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Basic Parachutist Badge and the Combat Medical Badge.

Realizing how fortunate we are as Americans to live the life we live and have the freedom we do is the reason I feel PFC Restrepo should be honored.  He sacraficed his life so that we could continue to live ours.  I thank his mother for sharing her son, who exhibited bravery and courage at a level that most of us will never experience. 

Please help us raise the funds needed to make sure that PFC Restrepo's beautiful daughter, Ariana,  can attend her father's street naming ceremony. She needs to know how appreciative and honored the City of Pembroke Pines is for his service, courage, and bravery.