DELANO, Calif. (KERO) — 13-year old drowning victim Gregorio Solano was surrounded by family, friends, and the community to say their final goodbyes through music.
- Six band students and two band teachers from Delano Elementary gathered at the North Kern Cemetery District on Tuesday to pay tribute to a beloved friend.
- Earlier in the month, Solano and his family traveled to Oregon to harvest berries. On July 7th, the teenager was confirmed missing after disappearing under the Willamette River.
His body was later recovered on July 11th.
Earlier in the month, 13-year-old Gregorio Solano traveled from Delano to Oregon with his family for work. His family and friends, now mourning his loss after Solano drowned in the Willamette River days after their arrival. On Tuesday, Solano's bandmates, and teachers paid him a tribute.
Six of Solano's bandmates with two of his band teachers played "Amazing Grace" for their beloved friend.
According to Solano's middle school band teacher Melissa Brindle, it was Solano's family that invited them to say goodbye in this way.
"We're very very honored that his family thought to include us. Playing at one of your best buddies' funerals is not an easy feat,” said Brindle. “This is the first student that I've lost that has been a current student of mine."
Music was always a passion of Solano's from a young age, his elementary school band teacher Arnold Morrison says Solano always flourished in the band room.
"By the time he got to the 5th grade, he owned it. As you can hear behind you, he was already playing Banda with guys in 7th grade so he took to it so well and I think it was part of — it was his life,” said Morrison. “He just loved to play, that's why the pictures you see, he's always got that trumpet in his hands."
Solano first went missing on July 7th and on July 11th, his body was later discovered just 17 miles from where he disappeared.
Morrison says Solano was never shy in the band room and was always ready for his next musical challenge.
"My kids march along with the middle school kids, so a lot of the middle school kids back in the day knew him as well even though he was a younger student — and he was very short,” said Morrison. “So, his marching step was much larger than the 8th graders that he was marching with and that did not bother him at all."
Brindle says Solano was always a bright light in her class — a light that won't be easily forgotten.
"It's gonna be difficult in that band room when all of my kids step in the first period because that'll be the first time we've had our full band,” said Brindle. “When they all step into that room tomorrow to not have Greg with us. That's going to be a hole in our group the entire year."
Solano would have been entering his eighth grade year, continuing his love for music. He has been buried with his band uniform and trumpet.
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