Armando-Montano-Obituary

Armando Montano

Obituary

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Armando Montano, an aspiring journalist who was working this summer as a news intern for The Associated Press in the Mexican capital, was found dead early Saturday. He was 22 years old.

Montano's body was found in the elevator shaft of an apartment building near where he was living in the capital's Condesa neighborhood. The circumstances of his death were being investigated by Mexican authorities.

The Colorado Springs, Colorado, resident arrived in Mexico City in early June after graduating from Grinnell College with a bachelor's degree in Spanish and a concentration in Latin American studies.

During his time in the bureau, Montano covered stories including the saga of nine young elephants from Namibia who wound up on an animal reserve in Mexico's Puebla state, and the shooting of three federal policemen at the Mexico City airport.

He was not on assignment at the time of his death. The U.S. embassy is monitoring the course of the investigation.

Montano had planned to attend a master's degree program in journalism at the University of Barcelona in the fall.

With his high energy and broad smile, Montano made scores of friends within weeks after his arrival in the Mexican capital.

"Armando was a smart, joyful, hardworking and talented young man," said Marjorie Miller, AP's Latin America editor based in Mexico City.

"He absolutely loved journalism and was soaking up everything he could," said Miller. "In his short time with the AP, he won his way into everyone's hearts with his hard work, his effervescence and his love of the profession."

In December and January, Montano covered the Iowa presidential caucuses as a news intern for The New York Times, and last year worked for several months as an intern covering policy and finance for The Chronicle of Higher Education in Washington, D.C.

"Mando was a standout young journalist, with a rare passion and exubera nce for life and for people," said Richard Berke, an assistant managing editor at The New York Times. "He accomplished so much and touched so many in a short time, and his potential was truly limitless."

Berke said that he arranged to have Montano help cover the caucuses because he was so impressed with the young reporter when they met earlier at the New York Times Student Journalism Institute in Tucson, Arizona.

Kathleen Carroll, executive editor of the AP, said, "The loss of this vibrant young journalist is a shock to his colleagues and the long list of people who called Armando friend."

Montano had also been a multimedia and reporting intern at The Colorado Independent, an online news service; and a reporting and investigative intern at The Seattle Times.

At the Scarlet & Black, Grinnell College's student newspaper in Grinnell, Iowa, he worked as an editor and writer.

Montano was the recipient of an Ellen Masin Persina Scholarship from the National Press Club in 2008; a Newhouse Scholar with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists in 2008; and a Chips Quinn Scholar from the Freedom Forum for Diversity in 2011. He belonged to the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association.

Born in Massachusetts, Montano was a fluent Spanish speaker who grew up in Colorado but lived for two years as a child in Costa Rica and spent time in Argentina and on the U.S.-Mexico border with his family.

He is survived by his parents, Diane Alters and Mario Montano, of Colorado Springs, who both teach at Colorado College.

ANITA SNOW, Associated Press


Copyright © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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condolences to the
family for your loss. May the
loving arms of the God of all
comfort embrace you today and for
all days, forever.
------
Sentido pésame a las
de la familia por su pérdida. Que
el brazos amorosos de Dios de toda
consolar a abrazarte hoy y para
todos los días, para siempre.
---------------------------------
May the peace of God that excels
all thought comfort you as you look
to our Heavenly Father for...

Dear Mario and Diane,
Im saddened beyond words to have heard from Theresa about the death of Armando. I remember him when he was little, when I had visited you in Colorado long ago. I read of the work he has been doing, and how clearly he was loved, cherished, highly respected nationally and internationally, and of his plans. What a lovely smile. Its hard to imagine what it is like for you, and there are no words. He was clearly a man who lived his life well, with passion, enthusiasm,...

Mario and Diane,
I just found out on Friday of Mando's passing.
I don't think there are any words that can express my sympathy for your loss. I am here for the both of you, and my prayers will be focused on you and Mando.

Sincerely,
Todd

I am so sorry. I didn't know Armando, but our daughter is a Grinnell alum and reading what an amazing person your son was has been inspiring and heartbreaking. Bless you. He lives on.

I was Mando's counselor at Palmer High School and will always remember his infectious laugh and deeply caring spirit. He was a young man of impeccable character who will be deeply missed by each of us who's life he touched. My sincere condolences to Mario and Diane.

Dear Mario and Diane
I've never met your son and I can't even imagine the sorrow you must go through as parents. I hope that you can find peace and comfort in the love of your family and friends.
In Deepest Sympathy.
Your tax preparer.

Mando was a young man of remarkable inner and outer beauty. His spirit was so rich that his loss feels as if it impoverishes not only those who loved him, but indeed, the world.

Diane and Mario: In this dark time, please be comforted by the joy and vitality Mando brought to so many others, and, too, by the exceptional gifts you gave him both genetically and through your loving attention as wise and devoted parents. You gave your son a wonderful life, the best any child could...

Que triste es perder a un ser querido en la muerte. En estas sircumstancias tan dolorosas, solo la paz que viene de Dios ( Salmos 83:18) puede comfortanrnos. Filepenses 4:6-7 dice "No se inquieten por cosa alguna, sino que en todo, por oración y ruego junto con acción de gracias, dense a conocer sus peticiones a Dios;  y la paz de Dios que supera a todo pensamiento guardará sus corazones y sus facultades mentales mediante Cristo Jesús.