Staff Sgt. Davi Ramos de Lima, 1972 - 2010
(Brazil)
First Sergeant Davi Ramos de Lima, a national of Brazil, was deployed to the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) for six months. He worked in the Brazilian army for 15 years, beginning his career with the 5th Battalion of Light Infantry stationed in Lorena.
A family member said, “He was a sweet, good-humoured man, always thinking the best about life.”
Davi joined MINUSTAH in July 2009 and enjoyed his time in Port-au-Prince, telling his brother that it had been one of his dreams to be there. He was due back home a week after the earthquake had struck.
Davi’s father, who also served in the Brazilian military, said he was “proud of his son, who was doing his duty,” adding that “he was a hero and the pride of the family. He wanted to bring peace to a land without peace.”
“He was an honourable soldier,” said his niece, adding that Davi admired the Haitian people who were very poor yet so hospitable.
Davi lived in João Pessoa with his wife and their three children, aged 14 and 7, and the third, 4 months old. He was looking forward to being with his youngest son again, whom he had only seen for a week during a break from his work.
Davi was born in Garanhuns in Pernambuco, east Brazil, as one of six sons. Since childhood, he was determined to follow in his father’s footsteps in the military. One of his lifelong professional goals was to participate in an international peacekeeping mission, which led him to MINUSTAH.
A ceremony was held on 22 January at the Brasilia Air Base for Davi and his fallen colleagues attended by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and First Lady Marisa Leticia. President Lula called their work with MINUSTAH “the noblest humanitarian mission ever carried out by the Brazilian Armed Forces.”
Davi and his colleagues posthumously received a promotion and Peacemaker Medal for outstanding acts of courage and bravery under life-threatening circumstances from his country.
Davi is survived by his wife, their three children, his parents and five brothers.