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Oregon medic dies following Iraq bombing
Saturday, March 24, 2007 | No comments posted.
TOLEDO (AP) - An Army medic from Oregon has died due to injuries from an explosion in Baghdad.
Sgt. Nicholas Lightner, 29, died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on Wednesday.
He was injured March 15 when an improvised explosive device went off as his unit was on patrol, the Army said.
His father, Bill Lightner said his son enlisted four years ago and was deployed to Iraq in November.
“He went for the right reasons,” his father told The Oregonian newspaper. “After 9/11, he felt the need to do something, and that's what he did.”
By the count kept by Gov. Ted Kulongoski, Lightner is the 84th person from Oregon or with strong ties in the state to die in the fighting in Iran and Afghanistan.
The governor's Web site lists 82, and on Friday he ordered flags at public institutions to be flown at half staff on Monday in honor of an 83rd, Sgt. 1st Class John Stephens of La Grande, also a medic. Stephens, 41, died March 15.
In Toledo, a Lincoln County town just east of Newport, Lightner was described as a nurturer.
“I'm not surprised he became a medic,” said former Toldeo school counselor Sandy Blackwell. “It brought together the two sides of him: the big, strong football player who could do almost anything with the compassionate young man with the big, caring heart.”
She said Lightner played football at Toledo High School.
Some of Lightner's fellow soldiers died instantly, and another was injured and died later in a hospital in Germany.
Lightner was transferred to Walter Reed, where he died as family members headed East to be with him.
Chaplain Geoff Bailey said in an e-mail to the family that Lightner learned he was the only survivor of the unit and regretted he was unable to save his team members.
“He told me that he became a medic in order to help people and was frustrated that he was unable to do so after being injured,” Bailey wrote.
“When he got out of the Army,” said his girlfriend, Ginger Warfield, 24, “we were going to live together and eventually get married and live happily ever after.”
Sgt. Nicholas Lightner, 29, died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on Wednesday.
He was injured March 15 when an improvised explosive device went off as his unit was on patrol, the Army said.
His father, Bill Lightner said his son enlisted four years ago and was deployed to Iraq in November.
“He went for the right reasons,” his father told The Oregonian newspaper. “After 9/11, he felt the need to do something, and that's what he did.”
By the count kept by Gov. Ted Kulongoski, Lightner is the 84th person from Oregon or with strong ties in the state to die in the fighting in Iran and Afghanistan.
The governor's Web site lists 82, and on Friday he ordered flags at public institutions to be flown at half staff on Monday in honor of an 83rd, Sgt. 1st Class John Stephens of La Grande, also a medic. Stephens, 41, died March 15.
In Toledo, a Lincoln County town just east of Newport, Lightner was described as a nurturer.
“I'm not surprised he became a medic,” said former Toldeo school counselor Sandy Blackwell. “It brought together the two sides of him: the big, strong football player who could do almost anything with the compassionate young man with the big, caring heart.”
She said Lightner played football at Toledo High School.
Some of Lightner's fellow soldiers died instantly, and another was injured and died later in a hospital in Germany.
Lightner was transferred to Walter Reed, where he died as family members headed East to be with him.
Chaplain Geoff Bailey said in an e-mail to the family that Lightner learned he was the only survivor of the unit and regretted he was unable to save his team members.
“He told me that he became a medic in order to help people and was frustrated that he was unable to do so after being injured,” Bailey wrote.
“When he got out of the Army,” said his girlfriend, Ginger Warfield, 24, “we were going to live together and eventually get married and live happily ever after.”
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