I want to share with you a story of a little hero named Aldo Rubio. He was a happy, loving, and honest little seven year old. On Thursday night, he was playing with three of his friends across the street from his house. They found a hole in the chain-linked fence leading to the canal and being curious little boys, they decided to explore. One of the boys (11 years old) fell into the canal. With bravery and selflessness, Aldo jumped in the deep canal to help his friend to safety and in doing so, Aldo was pulled further into the cold waters. There's nothing to grab onto in the swift deep waters of the canal, so sadly, Aldo was swept away leaving his friends powerless and running for help. A man driving by saw that one of the boys running was soaking wet & frantic and asked what happened and then immediately called 911 for help. Rescuers, firefighters, and helicopter teams searched for Aldo in the cold murky waters and sadly discovered his lifeless body 12 hours later, 60 yards from where the boys fell in. My heart breaks today. He was in my son's class at school and I had the joy of seeing him each week when I volunteered in his classroom. My interactions with him were always sweet and warm, he always made me laugh or smile over his gentle and sincere words. I enjoyed the time I got to spend with him - helping him with his reading words, exploring books to add to his 'reading book bag', and playfully greeting him in the mornings. He was always happy and that was infectious to everyone around him.
Tyler doesn't understand the impact of what has happened to his friend yet. We were out of town when I spoke to the School Nurse and received the devastating news. Security, police and trauma counselors are at his school to help the children and teachers with their grief. Tyler doesn't want to talk about it and still thinks that Aldo will be at school on Monday and they'll play. He's in denial and I feel helpless. Monday will be difficult when he sees Aldo's empty place at the table in their classroom. I know heaven needed Aldo and he's in the loving arms of God, but he is missed so much here. He's a young hero, so courageous and altruistic. He's watching over his family, friends and classmates each day and that brings us comfort. He will live in our hearts and will never be forgotten.
Aldo's family needs our prayers right now. I can't imagine how they feel with what they are going through. An account to pay for Aldo's funeral has been established at Bank of America. Anyone wishing to donate should ask for the Positive Impact Inc. account. under Aldo Rubio at any Bank of America Branch. This time of year it especially hard to deal with such loss, so any amount will be appreciated. Thank you.