Image courtesy: MySpaceCpl. Jonathan Porto had a lot going for him. The Marine got married in April 2009, was promoted to corporal in December, and celebrated the birth of his first child in January. Just before his daughter entered the world, he deployed to Afghanistan to defend it.
According to the Defense Department, Cpl. Porto, 26, lost his life on Sunday while supporting combat operations in Helmand province. The Marine's job in Afghanistan was to fix small arms in the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 7, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan. The St. Petersburg Times reports that his flag-draped casket will arrive at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware early Tuesday afternoon.
The Tampa Tribune spoke to the fallen Marine's sister about what his sacrifice means to their large family.
"It's pretty haunting, it's pretty sad," [Sonya Porto] said from her home in Missouri.
"He's one of eight kids," she said. "We're grieving. We're really close."
While Cpl. Jonathan Porto's grieving wife and seven siblings will never be able to fully mend their broken hearts, the Marine's legacy lives on through his little girl. "A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future," a saying goes. While it is difficult for any child to grow up without a father, she will stand on a firm foundation, knowing her dad gave his life so she can grow up in a world not dominated by terrorism and war.
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