Tragic End to an Inspiring Life

This is an unusual post for this blog, but I wanted to share a story about an inspiring person in our Latino community.

Ruben Dario Maldonado was a successful engineer with a lot of friends. The Ecuadorean native moved to the Seattle area from New York for a job with Boeing. He then brought his mom and younger brother over from Queens to have a better life, away from the troubles of inner-city gangs and other urban realities. This on its own is a blog-worthy story, definitely.

Then, a couple of weekends ago Ruben was hiking with a friend at Rattlesnake Ledge. Posing for a photo, he lost his footing and fell to his death. He was just 28.

I didn't know Ruben, but apparently he was just one of those guys that everyone wanted to be around. He made his life rich, successful, and meaningful. Talking to a fellow coworker the other day, the Boeing community is just devastated. I can't imagine what his family and friends are going through.

I went to Rattlesnake Ledge one week before, and one week after, his fall. It's an incredible place--panoramic views and all the glory of the Pacific Northwest. The day Ruben was there, it was sunny and warm.

See The Seattle Times article for more information.