Rolando Rene Caballero died attempting to rescue Halil Cakmaktas from drowning, Port Arthur, Texas, July 21, 2021. Cakmaktas, 70, retired dockworker, fell off a narrow, concrete pier into the fast-moving water of a channel connecting Keith Lake to the Port Arthur Ship Canal while he was fishing. Caballero, 63, crane operator, was on the shore near the pier with his wife when his wife heard Cakmaktas call out for help. Caballero instructed his wife to retrieve a bundle of rope from their car. Once she retrieved the rope, Caballero moved onto the pier and attempted to throw one end of it to Cakmaktas. After several unsuccessful attempts, Caballero returned to his wife on shore. He then tied the rope around his waist and waded about 10 feet into the water before swimming about 40 feet toward Cakmaktas. Caballero was within an arm’s length of Cakmaktas when Cakmaktas submerged. Unable to locate Cakmaktas, Caballero shouted to his wife to pull him back to shore. She pulled the rope, but she soon realized it had untied from Caballero. Caballero’s wife then called out instructions to him to lay on his back and attempt to float, but the strength of the current pulled him underwater. Firefighters located Caballero’s body about 30 minutes after he submerged; he had drowned. Cakmaktas’s body was recovered by police about an hour after he submerged; he had drowned.
Obituary
Rolando Rene Caballero is survived by his wife, Norma Diaz of Port Arthur, Texas; his mother, Ethelina Gloria Lopez Trevino of Corpus Christi, Texas; his step-mother, Alma G. Caballero of Benavides, Texas; his brothers, Ricardo Oscar Caballero of Corpus Christi, Texas, Alberto Trevino III of San Antonio; his sisters, JoAnna Caballero Lutz of Benavides, Texas; Susie Bee Caballero Lutz of New Braunfels, Eloisa Trevino-Yglecias of San Antonio; his children, Gloria Christina Gutierrez and her husband Mike of San Antonio, Jason Matthew Caballero and his wife Dinorah of San Antonio, Patricia Renee Caballero and her companion Joseph Garcia of Ingleside, Texas, Alicia Elvira Caballero of Kingsville, Texas, Sarah Danielle Caballero of San Antonio; step-children, Austin Evan Minter, Justin Lewis Minter and Nyssa Paulene Minter all of Kingsville, Texas; nephew Todd Caballero of Corpus Christi; nieces, Marina Caballero of Corpus Christi, Rayn Bee Lutz of New Braunfels, Rolando Rene Caballero also leaves behind ten grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his father, Ricardo Oscar (Dickie) Caballero of Benavides, Texas and Alberto Trevino, Jr. of Zapata, Texas.
Rolando Rene Caballero was born on August 12, 1957, in Laredo, Texas to parents Ricardo Oscar (Dickey) Caballero and Ethelina Gloria Lopez. He attended Mary Carroll High School in Corpus Christi, Texas. He moved on to become highly respected in the Industrial Construction sector. He started as an Ironworker and went on to be an NCCER Advanced Rigger and NCCCO Crane operator.
Rolando Rene Caballero was a social and active man who loved fishing, hunting, classic cars, motorcycles and especially bringing a smile to strangers faces.