06/20/2020
A message from our President and Founder, Brian Howerton:
It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we make this announcement:
"On Tuesday June 15, 2020 the Vegas Vanguard family lost one of our alumni members, Ricardo Aguilar, when he chose to end his life. Ricardo joined VV indoor as a freshman in high school at Spring Valley HS during the 05/06 season. During his 5 years marching Vegas Vanguard he performed on bells/vibes, marimba, and marching bass drum. He also went on to perform with Vegas Vanguard Entertainment Drumline for 10 years (2006-2016) and the UNLV Drumline for 3 seasons. Ricardo would always tell me that drumming and Vegas Vanguard saved him from a life of drugs and gangs, and what a positive influence music had in his life. Ricardo was a leader in every ensemble that he was a member, coordinating the setup and tear down, loading/unloading of truck, and always had words of encouragement to other members. He was an inspiration to so many, always had a smile on his face, loved working security and helping others, and of course, was a HUGE Raiders fan! He was a very special person to me and all of the VV family, and will be greatly missed.” - Brian Howerton
If you believe your friend or loved one is in immediate danger, suffering from depression, or is in emotional distress, please don’t hesitate to call the National Su***de Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255, reach out to a friend, or reach out to ANYONE in the Vegas Vanguard Family for help or assistance.
You are human, and life gets rough and heavy, but remember, you don’t need to go through it alone. Take care of yourself, and we’ll help take care of each other.
