Blue Star Turns Gold

Please be in prayer for some good friends of ours - they just lost a son to a roadside bomb in Iraq Sunday morning (April 29, 7 a.m. CST).



If you would be so kind as to write a note in the comment section, I'll have them read your words of encouragement and support.

Alex was 21 years old, joined the US Army in 2004 right out of high school, served in Korea and went on his tour to the Middle East last fall.

News Reports:
4.30.07 ~ KWCH News and 2 video articles
4.30.07 ~ KAKE News and video interview
5.1.07 ~ KSN News article and video
5.1.07 ~ Wichita Eagle and Guest Book and this Memorial Cartoon
5.1.07 ~ The Denver Post: Fort Carson soldiers killed

Web Support: Thanks for your kind words ...

Blue Star Chronicle posted my announcement here. Beth also wrote a moving tribute on this theme last year when a good friend's husband was killed by an IED. Good words.

Robinik has written about the role of being a 'guardian of a free world' in A Little Prayer for a Big Man. Thank you!

Argghhh!!! posts a fine tribute and highlights some of the details of Alex's life and death as garnered from the above news reports. Again, thanks.

Also from Blackfive a farewell message of Godspeed.

And a prayer from The Right Nation (in Italian :-)

John at Argghhh!!! also copied this May 1st release from the DoD:

The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Apr. 29 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their unit during combat operations.

Killed were:
Staff Sgt. Jay E. Martin, 29, of Baltimore.
Sgt. Alexander J. Funcheon, 21, of Bel Aire, Kan.
Pfc. Brian A. Botello, 19, of Alta, Iowa.

They were assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

We'll be praying for the Martin and Botello families as well. Articles follow:

• Jay Martin: 'Shining star' dies serving in Iraq (Baltimore Sun)
• Brian Botello: Alta soldier Brian Botello, 19, killed in Iraq (Des Moines Register)