They worked out, side-by-side, a couple of young men preparing for two entirely different journeys.
Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman was gearing up for spring football. Pfc. John Harrison for staying alive.
He was one of the lucky ones. Four members of that battalion, also known as the Black Lions, have since died, Alison Kohler, assistant community-relations officer for public affairs at Fort Riley, said Wednesday.
In the K-State dressing room, Prince posts updates on how the Black Lions are doing.
The news lately is sobering.
Pfc. Daniel A. Fuentes, 19, was killed April 6 by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. He became the fourth member of the battalion to die, and as of Wednesday morning, was among 93 soldiers from Fort Riley who have died since troops were sent to Iraq in 2003, according to Kohler.
“It’s an eye-opener,” K-State offensive lineman Logan Robinson said.
“We walk in from practice yesterday laughing, and we see someone has died. It was just like, ‘Wow, we worked out with those guys.’ They’re my age. The courage those guys have sticks with me.”
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EMAW!