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Subscribe to RSSA Rhode Island soldier is remembered after he died saving a child in Afghanistan. Mario Hilario reports.
Sgt. Dennis Weichel, 29, of the Rhode Island National Guard died saving the life of a little girl in northeast Afghanistan, according to the Rhode Island National Guard.
According to the report, Weichel was in a convoy in Laghman Province last week when he noticed some children were in the path of the moving vehicles. Weichel and other soldiers got out to move them out of the way.
According to the press release, while most of the children scattered away, one girl went back to the road, as a Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicle continued moving toward her.
Weichel saw the massive truck moving toward the girl and grabbed her out of the way, the National Guard said. The girl survived, but Weichel died after the armored vehicle ran over him.
The National Guard said Weichel's remains will be returned to Rhode Island on Saturday, according to the NBC Providence affiliate. The Army said Weichel leaves three children, a fiancee and his parents.
U.S. Army
Sgt. Dennis Weichel Jr., a Rhode Island Army National Guard infantryman mobilized with Company C, 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment, sits inside a Black Hawk helicopter prior to a mission earlier in his deployment in Afghanistan.
The circumstances of Weichel's death speak to his character, Staff Sgt. Ronald Corbett, who deployed with Weichel to Iraq in 2005, said in a U.S. Army press release.
"He would have done it for anybody," said Corbett. "That was the way he was. He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He was that type of guy."
Weichel was posthumously promoted to sergeant, according to the press release.
Corbett said Weichel was considered a fun-loving guy, but he was also a professional.
"When I first heard, I kept expecting him to jump up and say, 'Oh, I got you guys,'" said Corbett. "The last few days have hit me hard."
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I guess some people will take any opportunity to say something negative -who are we to say this little girl is not worth saving ? I can think of one man who did think she was worth saving & gave his life for it may he rest in peace
Hero!
It's a damn shame this great person had to die saving a life. Great people do great things.
Nine marines from one battalion in Afghanistan have been killed in the last 4 days. Prayers to their families. This didn't even make the news, how sad that most Americans don't even care anymore.
Those Marines are resting with thier maker, standing proud before him!!
chuhal
It isn't that most Americans don't care any more, it's because the media only tells us what they want us to know. Apparently Obama has trained them not to give praise to any American soldier that does anything Good, only Muslims. To him, our troops mean nothing.
I salute this man for doing the right thing, even though sadly it cost him dearly. Clearly he puts others ahead of himself, especially when its a child. His children have plenty of reason to be proud.
As for the vehicles running people over, wtf is with that? Put a camera on it or something if its got no windows or whatever the malfunction is here..
R.I.P HERO
this is heartbreaking. i feel the pain! american angel-sgt. weichel is in heaven, our thoughts and prayers go out to all the weichel family members,God be with you! this is so sad, words will never be enough for this american angel. rest in peace u.s. army brother!
So sorry for his death, he sounds like a good man and his actions hold that up to be true. So sad, a young and promising life of a good person ended...so sorry to his family especially his children. He must obviously have thought he could have made it well enough he took the risk.
Glad he saved the little girl...who i will remind all who disparage, is an innocent as much as the soldiers kids...just unfortunate to be born in a war zone of a country where he life expectancy is half of ours and her sex ensures and even harder life without the likehood of education or healthcare. She could not pick where she would be born, ,or to whom.
Go easy Bro,
Heaven has a special place for you
go easy bro,
heaven has a special place for soldiers like you.
R.I.P.
I am as a soldier very proud to say, this soldier did his job, god bless him!!
In a dark world Sgt. Weichel was a beacon of light,may his soul find peace.
Did Karzai apologize yet?
why should he? As unfortunate as it may be this hero died of 'friendly fire'
Wouldn't hurt lee ella. This guy died saving one of Karzais people. We should have packed up and left that hell hole the minute they told us we were "guests" of the afghan government. Guests? I have never treated a "guest" like they have treated us...No more money either, for any nation in that region. Let them fight it out amongst theselves.
This is a bittersweet story. May he rest in piece and she remember what sacrifice he made for her.
Peace. Wow. Go go spell check!
rest in peace brother, another American hero comes home.
Weichel obviously didnt see religion or nationality when he went after that little girl, he saw a human being in danger and he went to help. That is what matters about this story. Not your own religion or beliefs or the fact you and Weichel call yourself an American or that she calls herself Afghani, but that a man gave his life to save another. That is beautiful and that is what being a human is about. Helping one another.
This was a true hero! My heart breaks for his familly. May his children have some comfort knowing their Dad was a hero and great man to lay down his life for another.
Am I reading this correctly?????? The MEDIA actually writing a piece in praise of our servicemen??? We rarely hear any good that our young fighting men are accomplishing in the war zones. We hear and read HUGE headlines when servicemen make mistakes, the same mistakes we might make if we were to serve 2, 3 or 4 tours defending our country. The liberal media only want to show the darker side of what is happening and rarely lets us at home see all the good our boys are doing. This must have slipped thru. God bless our servicemen.
I did not get it from this stellar reporting, why did the MRAP not stop or slow down for him?
sad beyond words. i think people use "hero" way too much, but it definetely applies here. and i can see the al jeezerra headline now "American Soldier Throws Muslim Girl"
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends - John 15:13. I wonder if Dennis was a Christian?
And the Afghans ran into the street and celebrated the saving of her life. Sadly I'll bet they dont. Sorry to hear such a great soldier died. May he rest in peace. I wish his family all the best. Hopefully the Afghans will see this and be less resentful and more cooperative.
I think the guy would have got some thank's if it was a boy instead of a girl that he saved. The way they treat women over there I don't think they would have cared much if anything happened to the girl. After all they Do stone women to death don't they?
I will not forget your selfless heroism, Sgt. Weichel.
God's Blessings to the ones you've left behind.
We will remember and honor you sir.
Amen.