Dear Editor,

On Jan. 11, 2012, Private Neil Isaac Turner was killed in Afghanistan due to a training accident. Neil Turner was born on May 28, 1990, on Memorial Day that year. He was born in Minnesota and moved to Tacoma almost seven years ago. He graduated from Lincoln High School with the class of 2008.

Neil Turner was always an uplifting man. He always cared for others more than himself. You never saw him without a smile on his face. When he enlisted into the Army two years ago, not many people were very excited about his decision. Then after his first time overseas, everyone realized how perfect he was to fight for our country and how positive he always stayed while being over in the war.

His last deployment to Afghanistan was amazing. Many men in his unit looked up to him. A story that was told by one of these men was that one day, the men saw a huge crowd of kids surrounding, jumping and screaming around him and wondered what was going on. Then they noticed that he took a backpack full of toys and candy for the children and was handing them out to all of them. It put a smile on Neil's face to see these kids smile and be happy about something. The kids over in Afghanistan absolutely loved Neil and always looked forward to seeing him.

The day of his death was unbearable, devastating, shocking and many other emotions no one should ever feel. Since I lived and grew up next door to Neil and his family, I was able to watch him grow up and become the mature young man he was. He always meant good things and never was in a bad mood. He lived life to the fullest and made thousands of memories with hundreds of people that will never be forgotten.

Private Neil Turner was 21 years old when he died, and Memorial Day this year lands on his 22nd birthday on May 28. Flags were raised at half-mast on Feb. 2 in his honor.

Tacoma lost an American soldier, a brother, a son, a friend and a neighbor. But most of all, a hero was lost, but he will never be forgotten.

Megan Scheidt
Tacoma