Hundreds gather at public memorial for Miguel Villalon Hundreds gather at public memorial for Miguel Villalon

On January 29, family, friends, and the community gathered at the Hawks Auditorium at East Aurora High School, as the City of Aurora held a public memorial for U.S. Army Specialist Miguel Villalon. Villalon attended District 131 schools, including East Aurora High School, where he was an NJROTC cadet. Villalon was killed in action January 11 in Afghanistan.

The service opened with the NJROTC cadets presenting the colors, followed by an invocation by Chief Albert Farmer.

Tributes followed from School Board President Annette Johnson, Lieutenant Lauren Carthan, and Mayor of Aurora Richard C. Irvin.

Miguel’s former teacher, Chief Kevin Meadows, and friend Vincent DeLao offered remembrances, followed by Miguel’s mother, Olivia Guzman Villalon, offering a family reflection.

Presentations were made by Mayor Irvin, the East Aurora NJROTC cadets, Illinois Patriot Guards, and the Department of Illinois Military Order of the Purple Heart. 

East High School’s NJROTC cadets presented the colors and participated in a moving processional salute to Miguel’s family, with hundreds of cadets each presenting Miguel’s mother with a flower.

US Army Specialist Miguel Villalon

United States Army Specialist Miguel Villalon was born on December 31, 1998 and entered into eternal rest January 11, 2020.

He attended elementary school in Texas and transitioned to Waldo Middle School and East Aurora High School in Aurora, Illinois, where he was a proud member of the East Aurora High School Navel Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Miguel joined the Army in 2018, and, after competing basic combat training and advanced individual training in 2019, at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, he was assigned to Fort Bragg, where he served as a combat engineer and then deployed to serve his country in Afghanistan.

His awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with “C” Device, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, and the Combat Action Badge.

Miguel is survived by his mother Olivia Guzman Villalon and father Jesus Guzman, brothers Arnoldo and Antonio Fernandez, maternal grandfather Arnoldo Guzman, paternal grandparents; Juan Villalon and Elsa Garcia, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family and friends. He is preceded in death by his great-grandmother, Rita Rios, Grandmother; Olivia Mendoza, Aunt; Maria Guzman; and brother; Jesus Villalon Jr.

Miguel was eulogized and laid to rest on Saturday, January 25, 2020 in Brownsville, Texas. Full Military honors will be honored by the Fort Brag, home of the Airborne and Special Operations Force.

District 131 extends our sincere condolences to Miguel’s family, friends, and all those who loved him.