'A champion among men'

Image courtesy: MySpace

Sgt. Adam Ray was a funny guy. He was always smiling or making a face in pictures, and pretended to be a fan of archrival schools just to rile up his family, who loves the hometown Louisville Cardinals. But his humor didn't come at the expense of realism: Sgt. Ray was keenly aware that his deployment to Afghanistan could end in tragedy.

“Adam knew this could happen,” Donna Ray, said of her son’s death. “He planned for it last time he was home. He wanted to make sure his brothers and sisters were taken care of.…He loved them, and he loved God. He never stopped loving God and he never stopped loving his family.”

On Tuesday, the 23-year-old soldier was killed in southern Afghanistan. In a news release, the Pentagon said terrorists attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Ever since, the fallen warrior's MySpace page has been filled with emotional tributes from fellow soldiers, friends, family, and complete strangers. "I just heard the news," a friend wrote on Wednesday. "You were a champion among men. I'll never forget you."

The Louisville Courier-Journal reports that Ray promised his mom he wouldn't be a hero in Afghanistan.

“He just called and said his unit was on its way back, and that he loved us all, and promised he would not be a hero,” said Donna Ray, from the family’s home in North Dakota. “But he was a hero.”

Reporter Nancy Rodriguez explains that Ray grew up in a military family in Louisville. While his family lives in North Dakota, they will return to Kentucky to bury their beloved son, brother, and friend. Ray's father, Jim, is a Christian minister. A memorial service will also be held in Washington state, where Ray was stationed before his deployment with the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

The already highly-decorated soldier, who was posthumously promoted to Sergeant, will also receive the Bronze Star for his actions in Afghanistan. Like his mom said, Sgt. Adam Ray is a hero after all.