BELIZE CITY, Mon. Oct. 8, 2018– Private First Class Adrienne Barillas, 22, who served in the US military, will be laid to rest in Belize tomorrow, October 9.
PFC Barillas, a Belizean-American national, was found unresponsive on Sunday, September 23, in Seoul, South Korea, where she was based since November 2017. She was later pronounced dead; however, the results of her autopsy have not been released.
The Stars and Stripes website mentions a service held at the Camp Humphreys’ Warrior Chapel on Monday, October 1, in South Korea where more than 100 soldiers went to honor PFC Barillas. The website also quoted different soldiers who spoke of Barillas’ amazing cooking skills and the love she had for her family in Belize.
Her soldier’s cross, which consisted of a rifle, her helmet, and her boots, was saluted by the soldiers after her name was read during a final roll call. Her husband, PFC Emmanuel Gardner, waited until the room was empty and laid a single white rose on the cross.
A wake was held on Friday, October 5, at the Lion’s Den. A funeral service is to be held in Belize tomorrow, Tuesday, at St. Joseph Parish Hall and her body will be taken to Homeland Memorial cemetery near Mile 8 on the George Price Highway.
Barillas grew up in Belize, attending St. Joseph Primary School, Pallotti High School, and St. John’s College Junior College.
According to Stars and Stripes, “Barillas was a water purification specialist when she arrived at the 11th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade late last year. She worked in the unit’s training room and served as the commander’s driver. South Korea was her first assignment in the Army.”
She had also earned the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon.