Legislation was passed at the State House to officially name the Jamaicaway bridge over Route 9 on the Mission Hill/Jamaica Plain border as the Lance Corporal Alexander Arredondo and Brian Arredondo Memorial Bridge, in honor of two JP brothers, according to a press release.
Lance Corporal Alexander Arredondo, a member of the U.S. Marine Corps, was killed in action in 2004 while serving in Najaf, Iraq. His brother, Brian Arredondo, took his own life in 2011 after several years struggling with the burden of his brother’s death. Brian and Alex were very close, according to Victoria Foley, their mother.
“This newly designated bridge will forever mark our appreciation for the sacrifices made and faced by the Arredondo family,” said state Rep. Liz Malia, according to the press release. “This important gesture serves as a reminder of the work we must continue to do to better support those who give the ultimate sacrifice for their community and our country.”
“This is an important chance to honor the sacrifice Alex Arredondo made for his country and to recognize the hardships faced by service members’ families,” said local state Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez, according to the press release. “The bridge is a reminder to families that they are not alone in this struggle.”
Since the deaths of the brothers, Carlos Arredondo and his wife Melida, step-mother to Alex and Brian, have been raising awareness for mental health and military family and veterans’ issues through the Arredondo Family Foundation, Inc.
“Both Alex and Brian were born at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and were taken home to Jamaica Plain, where we all lived at the time” said Carlos Arredondo, according to the press release. “I’m very happy that this bridge is being named for the boys, since it’s on the same route we used to the hospital for both.”