A Border Patrol employee who was killed on the job last week is being remembered by loved ones.

Jose Martin Rodriguez-Lua, 21, worked as a processing coordinator and died on Nov. 1 in a fatal car crash while on the job.

A public viewing was held for Rodriguez-Lua Thursday at the Sunset Memorial Funeral Home in Brownsville

“It's not just the Rodriguez family that lost him, the entire country lost him,” US Border Patrol chief Jason Owens said. “Martin is the very first Border Patrol processing coordinator in our agency’s 100-year history to lay down his life in the line of duty."

A purple cross — also known as the US Border Patrol wound award — was posthumously awarded to Rodriguez-Lua. It is the second-highest award one can receive within the Border Patrol. 

Rodriguez-Lua is the first Border Patrol processing coordinator to receive this award, which was accepted by his family.

Those who knew him say Rodriguez-Lua was loved by many. He graduated from Veterans Memorial Early College High School in 2021.

“He excelled at Veterans,” principal Linda Gallegos said. “He was so respectful. His fellow classmates loved him, he was happy-go-lucky.”

Gallegos added that her former student was a role model for his classmates.

“It was devastating. It’s devastating to our entire community," Gallegos said.

Owens says Rodriguez-Lua was working to become a Border Patrol agent.

Funeral services will take place Friday at 9 a.m. at Good Shepherd Community Church in Brownsville. He will be laid to rest later that morning at Roselawn Memorial Gardens.

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