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September 13, 2007
Governor expresses sadness on death of U.S. Army Sergeant Gov. John deJongh Jr. Wednesday night expressed condolences to the family of U.S. Army Sgt. Gregory Rivera who died in an automobile accident Monday in western Baghdad. Rivera, stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C. was deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom. He becomes the seventh Virgin Islander killed while deployed in the theater of war. "I was saddened when told of the death of Sgt. Rivera on Wednesday evening," deJongh said. Rivera grew up on St. Croix and was a product of the public education system. "On behalf of my family and the people of the Virgin Islands, I offer sincerest condolences to Sgt. Rivera’s wife, his three children and his parents on their tragic loss," deJongh said. Relatives have described the 1999 graduate of St. Croix Educational Complex as a quiet and shy young man, one who surprised his family when he enlisted in the U.S. Army shortly after his high school graduation. DeJongh spoke with Rivera’s wife, Brooke, and his mother, Carmen Santiago on Thursday morning to personally convey his sympathies. "May his family find comfort in knowing that the people of the Virgin Islands share their loss," deJongh said. |
