MU band honors Marine band alum killed in Iraq
OXFORD — The 110th Battle for the Bell between Miami University and the University of Cincinnati began with a somber remembrance for one of their fallen brethren.
http://www.journal-news.com/hp/content/news/stories/2005/09/28/HJN0929CIFUENTES.html
By Ken-Yon Hardy
JournalNews
OXFORD — The 110th Battle for the Bell between Miami University and the University of Cincinnati began with a somber remembrance for one of their fallen brethren.
The MU band on Wednesday remembered Lance Cpl. Michael Cifuentes, a former five-year band member who died in August while serving in Iraq.
“Mike was a five-year member of the band and it was something I really wanted to do,” said David Shaffer, MU band director. “Not only for Mike, but for his family because the band was a huge part of Mike’s collegian life.”
For 3 1/2 minutes, the fans at Yager Stadium silently paid respects to the former Oxford resident as a slide show brandishing his image appeared on the stadium’s Jumbotron as the band played “God Bless the USA.”
The 25-year-old has been terribly missed, said his fiance, Tara Reynolds, but she appreciated the kind gesture from the MU family.
“I think it was beautiful. Everybody wants to honor Michael and his family in some sort of way,” she said. “I think it is so nice because it was something that was so meaningful to Mike. They honored him and gave him a nice tribute.”
As the band formed a gigantic USA formation on the field, band alumni circled the current members carrying American flags.
“I’m really glad that Dave (Shaffer) organized this for everybody,” said Andrea Smiley, who played in the band with Cifuentes. “It’s not exactly a closure, but it’s was a very fitting tribute for Mike.”
Christa Hobe of West Chester Township said she was glad the university took time to have the tribute for Cifuentes.
“I think that it was awesome that band was able to take time and the athletic department allowed them to have time to do this for Mike,” said Hobe, another bandmate of Cifuentes.
Cifuentes, who earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2002, worked as a substitute teacher at Talawanda Middle School and was enrolled in graduate school at Miami studying math education before his January departure to Iraq.
The 1998 graduate of St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati was killed Aug. 3 near Haditha, 140 miles northwest of Baghdad. The 25-year-old was one of 14 from the Ohio-based 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines killed in the attack.
Of those who died, nine were from Cifuentes’ Columbus-based Lima Company. Five of the men were natives of Southwest Ohio.
“It’s the least we can do for Mike,” said Shaffer. “He’s a Miami grad. He’s an Oxford resident. (We wanted to) give him a few minutes for something that he spent five years of his life being involved in.”
Contact Ken-Yon Hardy at (513) 820-2190, or e-mail him at khardy@coxohio.com.