Día de los Niños Héroes (Boy Heroes Day) is observed in Mexico every September 13 to honor six teenage cadets who died defending Chapultepec Castle during the U.S. invasion of Mexico in 1847. The cadets, under the command of Nicolás Bravo, were tasked with protecting the castle, and despite being outnumbered, six of them—Juan de la Barrera, Juan Escutia, Francisco Márquez, Agustín Melgar, Fernando Montes de Oca, and Vicente Suárez—chose to fight to the death rather than retreat. According to legend, Juan Escutia leaped from the castle wrapped in the Mexican flag to prevent it from being captured by American troops. The bodies of these cadets were buried at Chapultepec Park, where a monument was later erected in their honor. Their names have been commemorated through streets, schools, and squares across the country, reflecting their significance in Mexican history.