By Joel Langton
Jose Jasso Jr came home from work and saw lights behind his house on Virginia Street in the San Felipe neighborhood Thursday night, Sept. 10.
He walked back and found out they were looking for one of his neighbors, Margarito Meza, an 86-year-old-man who lived by himself and had wandered off.
“I got my son and we went driving around looking for him,” Jasso Jr. said. Jose Jr and his son, Jose Jasso III drove around until 2 a.m. when they came home and went to bed.
The next morning, Jose called two friends, Adrian Gonzalez, 21 and Bernando Mendoza, 40, both roofers who had the day off due to the wet and cold weather. Jose Jr, Jose III, Mendoza and Gonzalez got their horses and began searching for their neighbor.
Border Patrol had multi-million dollar helicopters flying over, law enforcement had dogs searching and vehicles patrolling while they were just four dudes on horses doing their best. Bernando estimated they’d covered 27 miles by 6:30 p.m. when they came across a man’s tracks between the landfill and the loop.
“I was kind of scared because I was afraid we were going to find him dead,” said Jose III.
Meza had been out in the elements for a while. Many in law enforcement were afraid that the search had quietly transitioned from a search and rescue to a search and recover, meaning Meza had probably lost his fight against the elements.
“Mr. Meza is obviously one tough man to have survived almost two whole days without any essentials or human contact,” said Fred Knoll, Del Rio chief of police.
The Four Horsemen received a call from one of Mr. Meza’s sons shortly after 7 p.m. saying that Meza had been seen in the Chihuaha neighborhood (near the airport). However, the four decided it was best to keep following the footprints until they found who they belonged to.
Fifteen minutes later, Jose Jr. spotted Mr. Meza lying under a mesquite tree chewing on a piece of wood, trying to find any nutrients he could.
While Bernando worked to get the ants off of a delusional and nearly unconscious Meza, Jasso Jr turned his horse, named 1-2-3, around and rode it for two miles to the gate where law enforcement and an ambulance were waiting for him.
“I was hauling ass on that horse,” Jose Jr. said.
He’d also called a friend to bring his truck to him. A wise move when it turned out to be the only vehicle that could navigate the terrain and reach Meza was Jasso’s 4-wheel drive truck.
He put law enforcement officers in the back of the truck and they rode to Mr. Meza and the other three horsemen.
Once they had covered the two miles back to Meza, they had to get him back to the ambulance. That involved cleaning the back seat of the truck and laying Meza across it while law enforcement officers rode in the back.
They couldn’t just go to the house and kick back. Their four quarterhorses, 1-2-3, Pinto, Chapo and RK had to get back to their stables, then they could go back to the Jassos and down a couple of adult beverages. The Meza family sent The Four Horsemen a case to help the celebration along and say thanks.
However, they still don’t get the hoopla. As offers of free food for them and their horses roll in, free beverages, free dinners, they don’t understand.
“We just did it to help somebody,” Jose Jr. said. “If we can help somebody out, we are going to do it.”
However, there is one invite they’re looking forward to. Meza has a birthday Sept. 15 and there is talk of a parade for him through the San Felipe neighborhood. Of course, it will have The Four Horsemen and 1-2-3, Pinto, Chapo and RK leading the way.
