'He fights the bad guys and keeps us safe'

Images courtesy: Facebook

Lance Cpl. Curtis Swenson was a mentor to young people, especially at his church. Yet there is one child who has always idolized him, perhaps more than anyone else. According to a Facebook post from a loved one, that boy is the Marine's little cousin.

"You have been Ethan's hero since he was old enough to understand what the word HERO really means," Jeanne Brunner posted Thursday night. "Out of nowhere he has always just [started] talking about his cousin, 'Curt the US Marine--He fights the bad guys and keeps us safe.' You rank right up there with Spiderman, Batman and every other superhero ever imagined in a young boy's mind. For that, I give thanks."

This morning, we all thank Lance Cpl. Swenson, 20, for his life of courage and sacrifice. According to the Pentagon, the Rochester, Minnesota, Marine was killed one week ago today in Afghanistan's Helmand province. A Defense Department news release said he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

While scrolling through hundreds of pictures in the "RIP LCPL Curtis Michael Swenson" group, I was immediately struck by the high volume of photos showing the Marine smiling alongside his loving wife, Katie. Thus, it was not surprising to read this passage in a Post-Bulletin article about the fallen Marine's life:

On Tuesday, Swenson's family talked about the many memories they have of Curtis: family camping trips, his dimples, deer hunting and his wedding last August to a woman who made his eyes light up when he talked about her.

The above photo validates that description of Curt's love for Katie, as the couple's bright smiles render the gorgeous oceanic background almost invisible. And as Matt Russell's report shows, the roadside bomb that killed Swenson will never diminish the Marine's memory. He will be saluted by fellow servicemembers in Afghanistan, and laid to rest near a wooded area he enjoyed visiting with his dad in Minnesota.

"That's where he belongs," Dave Swenson said. "He loved it down there."

Young Ethan always believed his older cousin was a superhero: larger than life and ready to confront evil. He was right.