Well, there's some good news and some bad news....As of my last posting, one of the two guys that died in that accident was one of my fiance, Pete's good friends. His name was David Sotelo. He was 22 years old and was a Navy Corpsman just like Pete is. I have the news article here somwhere, I'm going to go look for it and post it on here.
By: YVETTE URREA - Staff Writer RANCHO BERNARDO ---- A Marine and a sailor killed Wednesday night in a military vehicle accident on Interstate 15 were identified Thursday by Marine officials, and remembered by friends.
They were: Navy corpsman Petty Officer 3rd Class David Sotelo, 22, a native of Murrieta, and Lance Cpl. Christopher Best, 20, a native of Springfield, Mo. and a light armored vehicle crewman.
Both were assigned to the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms as part of the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, said Marine 2nd Lt. Joseph King.
"We're greatly saddened by this," King said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families. We all feel the grief."
Jaime Carranza, of Escondido, who was friends with Sotelo, said Sotelo's friends were shocked by the death of the Navy combat medic who was attached to a Marine unit.
"It's pretty shocking really," Carranza said Thursday. "I was just reading one of his blogs, and he's had four near-death experiences (while serving in Iraq). He would tell us just astonishing stories and for him to die in the U.S. (in an accident,) it's shocking."
Sotelo lived in San Diego and Oceanside before moving to Murrieta where his parents and sister live, Carranza said.
Friend Justen Charles of Arkansas said Sotelo served one tour in Iraq. He said his friend would stop to help even wounded enemies in the middle of a firefight.
"He was always putting other people before him," Charles said.
The vehicles were part of a small convoy Wednesday heading to Miramar Marine Corps Air Station for a routine training exercise, King said. They were going south on I-15 when the driver towing the second vehicle lost control at 7:20 p.m. just south of West Bernardo Drive, California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Gregg said.
Best and Sotelo were both thrown 70 feet off the Green Valley Bridge during the collision and died from their injuries. They were riding in the back of the lead light armored vehicle. The vehicle they were in collided with a guard rail and rolled onto its side, hanging partially over the bridge, Gregg said. Sotelo and Best were ejected through a roof hatch that may have been left open, he said.
The two servicemen fell onto a construction site below. One man was dead as firefighters arrived. The second was still alive and was to be flown to a trauma hospital, but he died before the helicopter arrived, San Diego Fire and Life Safety spokesman Maurice Luque said.
Two other Marines were injured, the driver and a passenger, and were taken to Pomerado Hospital where they were treated for their injuries and released, King said. Both were back with their unit Thursday. King said he could not release the extent of their injuries.
The 1st Marine Division has served at least two tours in Iraq but not all the members have deployed overseas, he said. The division was scheduled to depart in the near future, King said.
Carranza said Sotelo wrote on his blog about his experiences in Iraq and about nearly getting run down by a sport utility vehicle his first week there when the driver tried to blow past a roadblock. Later, Sotelo wrote of having his light armored vehicle get hit by some kind of explosive and catch fire, causing a burn injury to his hand.
As a medic Sotelo saved many lives, including a Marine, who later became one of his best friends, Carranza said.
Charles said Sotelo planned to go to Navy SEAL school to fullfill a lifelong dream.
In his personal life, Carranza said Sotelo "was completely charismatic, real open, real friendly (to) just anyone from the street. It might be a bum and he would just go up and talk to him and start hitting it off."
He said Sotelo was fun to be around, and he kept people around him laughing.
"He's one of those guys that, he's more than a brother to you," Charles said.
That's the story.........sad I know. I cried about it myself too, I knew him as well, but not as well as Pete did. It's so strange how different it all is for me now, I remember before a story like this would have bothered me and made me think, "Wow, thats horrible, they were so young." But now, there's not only that, but I remember him. I met him and his girlfriend. So there's other people involved now too....like, Its hard to describe, but it's like now, there's a personality,people he knew, a smile, a polite young man that I had the pleasure of meeting that goes behind it now. Not only did we lost a wonderful Soldier for the United States Navy....but a wonderful human being in general as well. My prayers go out to his girlfriend Annie, his family, his friends and his fellow soldiers too. Im praying for you all.........God Bless you. He will be missed.......but like I told Pete, my Grandfather, Bill, who is also now in Heaven, will take good care of him.
Also, Pete will be home soon for his pre-deployment leave! I cant wait to see him again and to have him home again so he gets to see the snow! Poor baby hasn't been able to see snow in I dont even know how many years! Maybe 2 or 3 I think. Poor baby!! I can't wait to see him again.......and to have hiim HOME, where him and I are both from. It'll be good for him........now only if I could KEEP him here lol but the Navy wont allow that, not yet anyway! lol ;) And another thing too......his brother will be coming HOME for his post-deployment leave! yay!!! So Pete and his brother will be home at the same time for only one day and then Pete's brother, will be going with his girlfriend to Hawaii!! Nice huh? I think I might try and do that too, save up some money so I can take Pete somewhere super nice when he gets home.......and before we get married lol. Maybe I might have to just wait till we are married and just have a really nice honeymoon!! lol *Im sure I could make THAT happen!! lol* I just cant wait to have both of them home for good, so they are both safe and sound. And for that matter, I cant wait to have ALL our troops home, safe and sound in the arms of their loved ones! I pray for all of them wherever they all may be. I pray that God keeps you ALL safe in his strong, loving hands.
Well everyone, if anyone really even reads this that is.......I hope this post finds you all well, and for now, Im going to go and try to find that Marine Corps Ball picture that I promied that I'd put on here!!
To all you military wives, girlfriends, sisters, women in uniform, fiancee's..............
********************HUGS**************************
Keep fighting the battle!! On the warfront, or the homefront! God be with you ALL!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment