Pinoy soldier’s last gift to parents: US citizenship

A Filipino serving in the United States Army who died in a blast in Afghanistan last February has given what turned out to be his last gift to his parents: US citizenship. While Army Specialist Rudolph “Ryan" Hizon, 21, died last February, his sacrifice was highlighted in the naturalization of his family, the Asian Journal reported. “His life reminds us of the opportunities and the responsibilities of citizenship. Today, Ryan’s parents become citizens. They become part of the fabric of a nation that has been enriched by immigrants who bring with them a new energy, sacrifice and commitment to America," the Asian Journal report quoted the judge who naturalized Hizon’s parents as saying. Last February, Hizon succumbed to wounds from an improvised explosive device (IED). He was posthumously given several awards, including the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Hizon was born in Manila, and went to the US with father Rodolfo at age 17. Also going to the US were his brother Russell and sister Rochelle, after a decade on the immigration waiting list. The family left behind mother Rachel because she and Rodolfo never married. But Ryan surprised his family when he decided to enlist in the Army, the Asian Journal cited a report from the Los Angeles Times. “It was an odd fit, and not just because he wasn’t yet a citizen," wrote Kurt Streeter of the LA Times. “Ryan was quiet and slight, a fun-loving practical joker, true, but also an introspective kid who cried easily and hardly had an aggressive bone in his body. He’d never touched a gun, never talked of hurting anyone, never mentioned anything about joining any nation’s army." He told family members that the military would give him focus but in reality, he enlisted in the Army so his mother could join the rest of the family in the US. The LA Times quoted his mother Rachel Santiago as trying to dissuade him. “When he finally was deployed, I told him, ‘Amboy, come home. Don’t go.’" Santiago told the Times. Earlier this year in March, the family received the bad news when two soldiers arrived at Rodolfo’s home. “It was like a terrible dream," Rodolfo told the Times. “Losing my son? How could this be?" Afterwards, Rodolfo learned that the government granted his son Ryan US citizenship posthumously and immigration officials allowed Ryan’s mother to visit America for his burial. “And then, finally, how an official brought Rachel and Rodolfo to her office and gave them bittersweet news: Since Ryan had died at war, his parents could now become citizens without more than a few months’ wait," wrote Streeter. — LBG, GMA News