Emmanuel De Jesus Lebron

Emmanuel De Jesus Lebron, Sergeant First Class in the United States Army, 32, passed peacefully into the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, in Germany while in active duty in the United States Army.

He was a spirited, beloved young man born on September 17, 1993, in New York City to his mother, Reyna Ovalle Rodríguez. He came from a large, close-knit family and community, instilling a deep sense of care and responsibility for others.

Emmanuel, or Manny as he was known to many, was extremely close to his family. Growing up, everyday life with him was a joy, and everything from the holidays to summer outings to the beach, a day in Central Park or at the lake, an afternoon playing sports, trips to the library, hours fixing bikes with a neighbor friend, visiting family, or just an evening at home, was thoroughly enjoyed. Emmanuel's family loved each other deeply and treasured their time together.

Emmanuel saw fulfilling his calling in service to others as enlisting in the military, which he did after studying Political Science at the University of Colorado. It is no surprise that Emmanuel chose the Army, following in the footsteps of one of his role models, and fellow New Yorker, Colin Powell.

Emmanuel served in the Army for 12 years until his death. His work was intricately tied to the PATRIOT missile air defense system. His many duty titles included Land & Ammunition Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge, Platoon Sergeant, Drill Sergeant for Basic Training and for Advanced Individual Training, and Launcher Section Chief. He was also a PATRIOT Master Gunner, among other certifications. Some of his international duty stations included Korea, Germany, and Poland. He also deployed overseas in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Emmanuel received multiple Awards and Decorations that honored his bravery, his professionalism, and the respect he commanded among those he led. Some of those are the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and the NATO Medal, among others. He earned several of these multiple times. These achievements allowed him to quickly accelerate through the Army ranks, having been promoted to Sergeant First Class at the young age of 31.

While his work was mission-critical to the safety and security of this country, Emmanuel never lost his soft side and care for his fellow citizens. He was known for rushing to help an elderly person cross the street, helping others carry groceries up the stairs, tipping when it was not typical, paying for people's meals without them knowing, and going out of his way and above and beyond to help just about anyone, without considering himself. He also loved his family and always stayed in close contact with them throughout his time serving overseas. Emmanuel was particularly invested in his nieces and nephews, and through regular, long phone calls, he was part of his family's daily lives even while physically apart.

Though Emmanuel is no longer with us, we remember him dearly and hold him so close. We remember his huge, kind heart, his excellent work ethic, his infectious laugh, and his love of God, family, and country - we are and always will be so proud of him.

He is survived by his mother, Reyna Ovalle Rodríguez, his sister, Mayerling Altagracia Lebron (husband Andy Fernandez and children Jose Canela and Alyssa Fernandez), his sister Leidy Lebron Cooksey (husband Philip Cooksey and children Liam Cooksey, Kariah Cooksey, Naomi Cooksey, and Matthew Cooksey), and his sister Krystal Sky Peña.

A visitation and funeral service will be held at 4 p.m. on Friday, December 19, 2025, at Riverdale Funeral Home, 5044 Broadway, New York, NY 10034.

A service will also be held at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, December 22, 2025, at Duncan Memorial Chapel in Floydsburg Cemetery, 5600 Old Floydsburg Road, Crestwood, KY 40014.

Immediately following the service, Emmanuel will be laid to rest with full United States Army Military honors, reflecting his service and dedication to God and country.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to one of the following organizations:

Wounded Warrior Project- https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

Semper Fi and Americas Fund- https://thefund.org/

Fisher House Foundation- https://www.fisherhouse.org/

American Red Cross- https://www.redcross.org/