On Saturday, the Department of Defense announced the death of a solider with connections to Minnesota.
Sgt. Kyle B. Osborn, of Lafayette, Ind., died Sept. 13 in Muqer, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire six weeks into his first deployment.
He was the only member of his unit who died, according to the DOD.He was 26.
Osborn attended Mankato State University, where he studied civil engineering, before enlisting in the Army.
Osborn's mother, Miriam, lives in Blackduck, Minn., and his wife, Maggie, is from Waconia.
"We are all mourning this significant loss in our family, but want to celebrate and honor his service to our country and let others know how proud we are of his service and sacrifice," Osborn's sister-in-law Kirstin Kranz told Fox 9.
Osborn's father lives in Indiana, and he spoke with FOX 9's Bill Keller by phone.
"He was quite a young man," Creigh Osborn said. "He was a born leader. He led by example."
The Clark Hills native was a star high school wrestler, and his father said he can remember the day his son decided to join the Army after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11.
"He called and said, 'Dad, will you go with me?'" Creigh Osborn recalled. "I said, 'Let's go.'"
Kyle Osborn then told his father that the two would go to the recruitment office and enter the first door that was open. Soon, he would become an Army ranger training recruits into that role.
"He could have chosen any path in the military," Creigh Osborn said.
Kyle Osborn had planned to start sniper school before he was deployed, but his father said he knows his son died doing what he wanted to do and is now in a better place.
"I told him he didn't have to be a hero. He was already one to us, and he will be missed -- sorely missed," he said.
