Friends, family and fellow police officers gathered in San Dimas Thursday to celebrate the life of El Monte Police Officer Armando Santa Anna, a 24-year veteran of the department who died last month due to surgical complications.
Santa Anna died March 15 at age 52. According to the El Monte Police Department, he died “from complications related to surgery stemming from a work-related injury.”
Known as “Mando,” Santa Anna worked as a patrol officer, school resources officer and detective during his career.
During a funeral service Thursday at Holy Name of Mary church in San Dimas, Pastor Rich Danyluk offered prayers of thanks for Santa Anna.
“God of many gifts, we thank you now for the gifts you shared with us through Mando’s life,” he said. “We cherish those gifts and ask that you remind us of the goodness of his life so that our own lives might be enriched. We pray that in the days ahead, the happiness that he shared with others will spring up afresh in us, so that we too might be a blessing for each other. We give you thanks, especially for his faithfulness to you, to his family and to our community.’
An avid Dodger fan. Santa Anna played baseball at the collegiate and professional levels. According to EMPD, he also worked as a talent scout.
He is survived by his wife Claudia, son Tyus and daughter Julianni, along with his sister and parents.
A fundraising effort established on behalf of the family by the Peace Officers Relief & Educational Foundation had raised more than $10,000 as of Thursday.
Donations to the fund can be made at porac.org/fundraiser/elmontepoa_detectivesantaanna/.
“Please keep the Santa Anna family and our El Monte Police Department family in your thoughts and prayers,” the department said in a statement. “Rest easy, Mando. We’ve got it from here.”