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| Joe Don Buckner / Staff |
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Velez displays stones that he carried to feel close to his two sons while they served in the military. The top stone has a soldier's prayer imprinted on it.
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Posted on 07/27/2006 6:40:49 AM PDT by hispanarepublicana
Fallen brothers gave their all in war and in life
BY JASON WOMACK
AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
The last time Sarah Harris saw Andrew Velez, he was dressed in uniform carrying the casket of his brother.
They spoke briefly that day about the war that took Andrew's brother Freddy.
"He told me he wanted to go back immediately and finish the job his brother had started," she said.
The 22-year-old Army specialist left for Afghanistan in March. On Monday, he was shot and died there.
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The Army informed the family Tuesday afternoon that Andrew Velez, Freddy's younger brother, was dead.
Harris, an English teacher at Estacado High School, taught both men.
"Both of them will be remembered as heroes," she said. "This school will not forget them or the price
their family has paid."
Andrew was bright and energetic, Harris remembered. He and his brother had limitless potential.
"There was nothing these guys couldn't accomplish," she said.
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Now they will find a way to remember Andrew.
"These kids volunteered. They weren't forced into service," David Moody, a football coach at Lubbock High School, said, adding that students should remember how these brothers stepped forward to serve their country.
Moody coached Andrew at Estacado, he marvelled at his strength of character, his strong will and his respectful nature.
He said Andrew represented his family, his father and his country well.
Moody and Harris have both lost students during their long teaching and coaching careers. But the Velez brothers were the first lost to combat.
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"I feel beat up on the inside," he said.
Several people stopped by the Velez home. The house was filled with people Wednesday morning and friends came and went throughout the day.
"It seems like only yesterday that I was over there talking to them about Freddy," said Louis Kelley, the longtime Estacado head football coach who coached both boys on the gridiron.
Kelley spoke at Freddy's funeral and he plans to be at Andrew's.
"They are part of me," he said. "I coached them. They were my boys."
Andrew and Freddy were the kind of people you wanted to be around, he said. They were dedicated and committed.
"It's so unfair and unfortunate ... that these kids that could have been great leaders were taken from us so young," Kelley said. "They take the best from us sometimes. They were the best."
To comment on this story:
jason.womack@lubbockonline.com t 766-8707
ping
I just contacted the local TV station to ask about an address (PO Box or e-mail) to which we can send our condolences. I'll post any info I get.
I haven't heard a thing.
I wonder if they're being advised to not announce it too far in advance so that the Topeka, Kansas, group won't show up?
In memory of Andrew Velez, son, husband and father.
I saw their dad on TV here yesterday (Thu) and then posted a small note from an AP story on a military thread. It wasn't the right place to post it (happy, celebratory anniversary thread) and they suggested I start a new thread about it.
I searched Velez and some other WOT keywords and nothing came up, so I started a new thread. Again, I'm sorry.
I also made a Light-A-Candle page for them - "Velez Family - Patriots" and sent the link to the Avalanche-Journal so someone might print the messages for the family when they can read them.
Please go here to visit and leave a good word or just light a candle. Thanks.
Here are the other threads on them - all equally heart-wrenching:
I read a little while ago that Andrew's body arrived in Dover late last night (Thu).
Oh, no.
http://www.klbk13.tv/news/default.asp?mode=shownews&id=1707
Military Investigating Death of Lubbock Soldier
The family of a fallen soldier received news on Tuesday that their second son was tragically killed while serving in the Middle East.
Roy Velez, whose other son, Freddy, died in November 2004 in Iraq, received the news from a military representative around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday that his other son, Andrew, was killed while serving in Afghanistan.
"I asked him, `It`s about Andrew?`. He said, `Yes, let`s go inside.` I didn`t want to. I told him, `Tell me here. What happened to Andrew?`, and he said Andrew was dead," said Velez.
"I fell to the floor ... he was my baby boy, my last son."
According to the Pentagon, Andrew, an Army Corporal, died on Tuesday, July 25th. The Department of Defense says his death was from a non-combat related gunshot wound.
A spokesperson for Fort Irwin, California, where Velez was based, said they are investigating into the causes of his death. It will take several weeks for the military to determine how Velez died.
The fallen hero`s body returned to the United States on Thursday. Funeral services are still pending, but the family says they will be held sometime next week.
The 22-year-old wanted to serve his country and left in March for Afghanistan. It was his second deployment and he leaves behind a wife and three children.
Both Andrew and Freddy grew up in Lubbock. Both wanted to serve their country and, according to Roy, both brothers died doing what they wanted to do.
Army Specialist Freddy Velez died November 13, 2004 in Iraq, when his unit, part of the 1st Cavalry Division, came under fire in Fallujah. He was 23.
Freddy earned two Purple Hearts, as well as a Bronze and Silver Star.
Roy said he never imagined that he would lose both his sons to war.
"It (feels) like somebody raked the inside of me with clawed nails and tore everything out," he said. "There`s nothing on the inside of me."
Losing both Freddy and Andrew has left Roy beaten and broken and the pain is unbearable.
"I`m not the only parent. I lost both my boys. I can`t call out to them," he said. "I can`t have my boys by my side."
The Velez family says they are taking it one day at a time, and are proud of both his sons. They say, in spite of their loss, they still support the war and our troops. They have received calls and e-mails from across the country, each expressing their condolences and prayers.
University Medical Center is planning a prayer service on Friday at 9 a.m. in the UMC chapel. The hospital has also established a special memorial fund for the family.
ARTICLE TOOLS:
Air Date: 7/27/2006
Reporter: Stacia Willson
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