VIDEO: Sgt. 1st Class Pablo Ruiz’s Remains Arrive Home, Visitation Set Tonight

By  //  June 4, 2015

died in Afghanistan May 24

ABOVE VIDEO: With his family and friends waiting, Sgt. 1st Class Pablo Ruiz’s returned home as his remains arrived at Melbourne International Airport on Thursday morning. Law enforcement, military veterans groups and the public honored Sgt. Ruiz, a Melbourne native, as they lined the streets and participated in his procession to the funeral home. (Jared Crowl video)

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – With his family and friends waiting, Sgt. 1st Class Pablo Ruiz’s returned home as his remains arrived at Melbourne International Airport on Thursday morning.

Sgt. Ruiz, 37, died last month in a non-combat-related incident on May 24 in Bagram, Afghanistan. He was found unresponsive at Bagram Airfield, and his death is under investigation. Sgt. Ruiz Ruiz is survived by his wife of 20 years and a daughter.

Law enforcement, military veterans groups and the public honored Sgt. Ruiz, a Melbourne native, as they lined the streets and participated in his procession to the funeral home.

Ruiz, a member of the 3rd Special Forces Group out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, also served three tours of duty in Iraq.

Visitation is scheduled at Fountainhead Funeral Home in Palm Bay from 6 – 8 p.m. on Thursday. The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday at the Gleason Performing Arts Center on the campus of Florida Tech.

A celebration of life will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Beach House at Patrick Air Force Base.

With his family and friends waiting, Sgt. 1st Class Pablo Ruiz's returned home as his remains arrived at Melbourne International Airport on Thursday morning. (U.S. Army image)
With his family and friends waiting, Sgt. 1st Class Pablo Ruiz’s returned home as his remains arrived at Melbourne International Airport on Thursday morning. (U.S. Army image)