Nathaniel A. Afolayan
Agency patch
Border Patrol Agent Intern

Nathaniel A. Afolayan

Illness
End of Watch May 1, 2009
Age 29
Tour of Duty 2 mo
The Vigil Panel 158 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Location: New Mexico Incident Date: Thursday, April 30, 2009

Border Patrol Agent Intern Nathaniel Afolayan passed away the day after collapsing at the Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, New Mexico.

He had just completed the 1½-mile run portion of the physical techniques final exam when he collapsed.

He was flown to the Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas, where he passed away the following day.

Agent Afolayan had been sworn in as an agent at the beginning of the academy session in February and had served with the Border Patrol for 10 weeks.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, two daughters, parents, and three siblings.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Border Patrol Agent Intern Afolayan served with the United States Department of Homeland Security.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Border Patrol Agent Intern Afolayan.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdhscbpusbpfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 1, 2009
Tour of Duty 2 mo
Age 29
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness
Cause Detail Duty related illness

The Sacrifice · Illness

Nathaniel is one of 2,028 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 2009, 19 officers in the United States were lost to illness, the 17th heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Nathaniel was 29. Of the 1,996 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51. Nathaniel had served 0.2 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

May holds 6.2% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 14.9%. Fridays: 14.8%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - United States Border Patrol has 63 officers remembered here, Nathaniel among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Border Patrol Agent Intern Nathaniel A. Afolayan

United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - United States Border Patrol · End of Watch May 1, 2009

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 10-E

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