JUNTA MUNICIPAL DE ENCARNACIÓN RECONOCERÁ A HÉROE DE CAAZAPÁ

Encarnación City Councilor Andrés Morel announced that the City Council will give special recognition to Aldo Alcides “Yolo” Ayala Barreto, a resident of the Caazapá department, who performed an act of heroism by rescuing four young people from a burning vehicle following a violent traffic accident. The accident occurred around 5:20 a.m. on Sunday, July 19, on Villarrica Boulevard in the city of Caazapá. A Toyota Allion lost control and crashed violently into a concrete utility pole. After the impact, the vehicle burst into flames. Inside the car were five students: a 17-year-old, Regina del Carmen Perdomo Santacruz (19), Arami Arlen Kallus Maidana (18), Yonathan Ariel Gancel Domínguez (19), and Arturo Isaac Cabrera Coronel (18). Amidst the flames appeared Aldo Alcides Ayala Barreto, 38, known to everyone as “Yolo,” a resident of the María Auxiliadora neighborhood in Caazapá who sells hamburgers and fast food. Without considering the danger, he ran to the burning car and began pulling the occupants out one by one, moving them away from the vehicle before the fire spread completely. Ayala himself later recounted that he heard the loud crash as he was finishing his workday and immediately went out to help the victims. He told councilman Andrés Morel that the young people were of slender build, which allowed him to quickly pull them to safety at a safe distance before the car was engulfed in flames. Thanks to his quick reaction, four occupants survived and were later assisted by volunteer firefighters and taken to the Regional Hospital. Sadly, Arturo Isaac Cabrera Coronel, a first-year architecture student, former president of the Student Center at the Regional Education Center, and an Itaipu scholarship recipient, did not survive the serious injuries he sustained in the accident. "If he hadn't acted, today we would probably be mourning not only the death of a young man, but also the deaths of four other people who could have lost their lives," said councilman Andrés Morel. Initially, it was planned that the tribute would be held by the Caazapá Municipal Council. However, it will ultimately be the Encarnación Municipal Council that will publicly honor Ayala for his act of bravery and solidarity. The recognition ceremony will take place on Wednesday, August 4, at 9:00 a.m., and will also be attended by family members of the victims and representatives of the Catholic University, an institution that also plans to present him with an award and assistance in recognition of his actions. It's worth noting that Ayala had already been recognized by the Caazapá Municipal Council, where he received a certificate of gratitude and a gift. Visibly moved, he stated that he doesn't consider himself a hero and that he simply acted on instinct, thinking only of saving lives. With his selfless and courageous actions, Aldo “Yolo” Ayala became an example of solidarity and human commitment, leaving an indelible mark on the Caazapá community and on all who learned his story.