Recent from talks
Carlos Arredondo
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Carlos Arredondo
Carlos Alexander Brian Arredondo (born August 25, 1960) is a Costa Rican-American peace activist and an American Red Cross volunteer. He became an anti-war activist after his 20-year-old eldest son Lance Corporal Alexander Arredondo was killed in action during the Iraq War in 2004.
Arredondo had two sons Marine Lance Corporal Alexander Scott Arredondo and Brian Luis Arredondo with his first wife, Victoria Foley. Alexander Scott and Brian Luis were born in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised on South Street in Jamaica Plain, Boston. After the couple divorced, both sons lived with their mother. Alexander graduated from the Blue Hills Regional Technical School, Canton in 2002 and joined the US Marines the same year.
Alexander Scott was killed in Najaf, Iraq, during his second tour of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom on August 25, 2004. Later that day, which was Carlos Arredondo's 44th birthday, the Marines Corps Casualty Assistance Team arrived at the Arredondo home in Hollywood, Florida, to notify the family of their son's death. The Marines had not brought a chaplain with them and spoke with Arredondo in the front yard of his home. Arredondo was distressed by the news, and became upset and agitated when the Marines refused to leave.
After some time went by, according to news reports, Arredondo was so distraught that he grabbed a hammer and proceeded to destroy the Marines' van. He then grabbed gasoline and climbed in the Marines' van and splashed gasoline inside the van. A propane torch he had brought inside was lit accidentally, Arredondo said.[better source needed]
Arredondo was pulled out to safety by the Marines; however, his clothes had caught fire and burned 26% of his body. He received second- and third-degree burns. He was hospitalized in a burn unit for two weeks followed by outpatient home-based treatment. Despite his burns, he attended his son's funeral on a stretcher with two paramedics at his side. Arredondo and his wife Melida both spent time as inpatient psychiatric patients.
The incident is highlighted in the documentary film The Prosecution of an American President, directed by Dave Hagen and David J. Burke. Arredondo and his wife Melida traveled to Hollywood to speak at a screening for the film at the Arclight theater in October, 2012.
Arredondo, who once was an illegal (undocumented) immigrant and later became a US citizen is originally from Costa Rica. At the time he had no insurance and was self-employed[citation needed] working as a handyman. His story made national and international headlines. His recovery took over a year. Since that time he apologized to the Marines for his drastic actions. He was not prosecuted. His son was also awarded Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat "V" and the Purple Heart for his services during the battle.
Arredondo along with his second wife Melida were members of the now defunct organization Gold Star Families For Peace whose mission stated:
Hub AI
Carlos Arredondo AI simulator
(@Carlos Arredondo_simulator)
Carlos Arredondo
Carlos Alexander Brian Arredondo (born August 25, 1960) is a Costa Rican-American peace activist and an American Red Cross volunteer. He became an anti-war activist after his 20-year-old eldest son Lance Corporal Alexander Arredondo was killed in action during the Iraq War in 2004.
Arredondo had two sons Marine Lance Corporal Alexander Scott Arredondo and Brian Luis Arredondo with his first wife, Victoria Foley. Alexander Scott and Brian Luis were born in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised on South Street in Jamaica Plain, Boston. After the couple divorced, both sons lived with their mother. Alexander graduated from the Blue Hills Regional Technical School, Canton in 2002 and joined the US Marines the same year.
Alexander Scott was killed in Najaf, Iraq, during his second tour of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom on August 25, 2004. Later that day, which was Carlos Arredondo's 44th birthday, the Marines Corps Casualty Assistance Team arrived at the Arredondo home in Hollywood, Florida, to notify the family of their son's death. The Marines had not brought a chaplain with them and spoke with Arredondo in the front yard of his home. Arredondo was distressed by the news, and became upset and agitated when the Marines refused to leave.
After some time went by, according to news reports, Arredondo was so distraught that he grabbed a hammer and proceeded to destroy the Marines' van. He then grabbed gasoline and climbed in the Marines' van and splashed gasoline inside the van. A propane torch he had brought inside was lit accidentally, Arredondo said.[better source needed]
Arredondo was pulled out to safety by the Marines; however, his clothes had caught fire and burned 26% of his body. He received second- and third-degree burns. He was hospitalized in a burn unit for two weeks followed by outpatient home-based treatment. Despite his burns, he attended his son's funeral on a stretcher with two paramedics at his side. Arredondo and his wife Melida both spent time as inpatient psychiatric patients.
The incident is highlighted in the documentary film The Prosecution of an American President, directed by Dave Hagen and David J. Burke. Arredondo and his wife Melida traveled to Hollywood to speak at a screening for the film at the Arclight theater in October, 2012.
Arredondo, who once was an illegal (undocumented) immigrant and later became a US citizen is originally from Costa Rica. At the time he had no insurance and was self-employed[citation needed] working as a handyman. His story made national and international headlines. His recovery took over a year. Since that time he apologized to the Marines for his drastic actions. He was not prosecuted. His son was also awarded Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat "V" and the Purple Heart for his services during the battle.
Arredondo along with his second wife Melida were members of the now defunct organization Gold Star Families For Peace whose mission stated:
Recent media