The life and legacy of Rafael Antonio Aguayo are being remembered following his passing at the age of 71 in Ocoee, Florida. Born in Puerto Rico in 1955, Aguayo lived a life defined by military service, aviation, and deep devotion to his family. His journey spanned decades of service in the United States Air Force, a career as an airline transport pilot in the Caribbean, and years spent surrounded by his loved ones in Central Florida.
Aguayo spent his early years moving between Puerto Rico and New Jersey while his father completed a psychiatric residency in New York. After returning to the island, he graduated in 1973 from El Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola in Rio Piedras. Three years later, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving honorably as a military security police officer and ultimately reaching the rank of Staff Sergeant. His service took him from basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas to a year-long assignment in South Korea—where he developed a lasting fondness for kimchi—and later to Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana. While guarding missiles and fighter jets in the bitter Montana cold, he recorded cassette tapes in his own voice to narrate his daily experiences for loved ones back home.
That close proximity to military aircraft ignited a passion for aviation, though he was too old by then to qualify for pilot training within the Air Force. Undeterred, he left military service in 1980 to enroll at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, earning a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Sciences and securing a license from the Federal Aviation Administration as an airline transport pilot.
Aguayo Piloted DC-3 Aircraft as Aero Bistec
Returning to Puerto Rico to pursue his dream, Aguayo spent many years piloting DC-3 aircraft, delivering beef across various islands in the eastern Caribbean. Known affectionately as “Aero Bistec,” he eventually worked his way up to Captain and assumed leadership of flight operations as Chief Pilot.
Throughout his career behind the controls of an aircraft, Aguayo often remarked that he would never be freer than when he was flying, frequently looking up at a clear blue sky to declare that it was a great day for flying.
Later in life, he married Sandra Aponte, and at the age of 39, he welcomed his daughter, Sara Zullymer. Affectionately referred to as his “miracle baby” after years of struggles with conception, she became the center of his world, and he loved her with all his might.
Retirement and Move to Ocoee
In 2006, Aguayo retired and relocated to Ocoee, Florida, alongside Sandra and Sara, to be closer to extended family. Described as a generous man who would gladly give the shirt off his back to anyone in need, he was known for his warmth, his love of salty and sour foods, and a playful, prankster streak inherited from his own father.
He was preceded in death by his father, Rafael Aguayo, in 1979; his sister, Zulima Garcia, in 2005; and his mother, Zulima Diaz, in 2019.
Surviving Family Members
Aguayo is survived by his daughter, Sara; his ex-wife, Sandra; his two brothers, Manuel (joined by Ruth) and Anthony (joined by Kelly); and his brother-in-law, Andres. He also leaves behind his nieces and nephews—Andres, Rafael (joined by Shelby), Natalie, Brendan, Sean, and Alexis—as well as his great-nieces and great-nephews, Andy, Alivia, and Asher.
Upcoming Memorial Services
A memorial service hosted by the United States Air Force is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 20th, at the Dobbs Funeral Home Chapel, located at 430 N Kirkman Road in Orlando, Florida.
