MONROVIA : 400 Mourn Youth Whose Illness Rallied Community

More than 400 mourners, including police officers and Explorer Scouts from throughout Los Angeles County attended funeral services Tuesday for Jose Villegas, 16, a former Monrovia police Explorer who had been ill with leukemia for three years.

After the youth’s condition worsened in January, Monrovia police launched a search for a matching bone marrow donor for a transplant that might save his life. Nearly 1,000 people were tested, including 415 Latinos, one of the largest ever sign-ups from the Latino community, said Monrovia Police Lt. Roger Johnson. In addition, $20,000 was raised to pay for the blood tests and to help the Villegas family.

But Jose’s condition continued to deteriorate. He was released from the hospital with pneumonia Friday evening and died in his home about four hours later, Johnson said. Services were held at Immaculate Conception Church in Monrovia.