NEW YORK – Two Filipina US Army members were among the three individuals who tragically lost their lives after their vehicle plunged into a 400-foot ravine at Devil’s Slide on Highway 1 in California on July 26.
The victims have been identified as Brylyn Aroma, 36, Angelica Gacho, 28, and Mohammad Noory, 29, from Afghanistan.
Aroma, originally from Cavite, was a nurse and a highly decorated US Army combat medic specialist. She had studied at Emilio Aguinaldo College in Manila and De La Salle University. Her awards included the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon.
Gacho, another Filipina US Army member, served as a communication and water treatment specialist. She had been awarded two Army Achievement Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korea Defense Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon. Gacho was a graduate of Taguig City University.
The United States Army expressed its condolences to the families of the victims.
The California Highway Patrol reported that the vehicle fell into a dangerous and rocky area of Devil’s Slide on San Mateo County’s coast. The car landed on a rocky shoreline and was partially submerged in ocean waves. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident.