Revere soldier killed in Afghanistan

REVERE – Nelson D. Rodriguez Ramirez’ family is preparing to bury the Army sergeant killed Saturday in Afghan-istan who spent part of his childhood and high school years in Revere.Ramirez’ wife, Moraima, said in the days before his death, her husband sent her an e-mail that read, “A soldier never dies, they just join God’s army.” They last spoke on June 20, the day before he died.”He was talking about how he was very tired. I reassured him time is passing fast. He said he loved doing his job.”Rodriguez Ramirez, another sergeant and a soldier assigned to the same New York National Guard reconnaissance unit were killed in Kandahar City along with an Army lieutenant colonel when the vehicle they were riding in came under small-arms fire and struck an improvised explosive device.The death of the 22-year-old son of Nelson Rodriguez of Revere and Deana Ramirez of Chelsea was the second blow to strike home from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan in as many years. Matthew Stanley, an Army specialist who spent part of his childhood in the city, was killed in Iraq Dec. 16, 2006.Mario Pleitez, a neighbor of the elder Rodriguez, said an Army representative and Revere police officers stopped by the home Sunday to break the news.”He was such a young kid. It’s something you never expect,” Pleitez said.Funeral director Louis Vazza anticipates the Department of Defense will release Rodriguez Ramirez’ body from its mortuary in Dover, Del. today and transport his remains to Boston. Vazza said tentative plans call for burying Rodriguez Ramirez in the veterans’ lot in Everett’s Woodlawn Cemetery.Nelson Rodriguez said his son planned to return home on 15 days leave in August to spend time with family and celebrate his birthday on August 13.”He was making really big plans,” said his father.He said his son lived as boy in Boston and in Revere from 1998 to 2004, attending Revere High school for three years. Rodriguez Ramirez joined the Army in 2003 and was deployed with his Buffalo-based reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition squadron to Afghanistan in April.”He liked serving his nation,” said his father, “He was proud to go there.”His aunt, Raquel Rodriguez, said her nephew called home soon after arriving in Afghanistan and talked at length about deprivations faced by the country’s children. He played with children he met and gave them food.”He really fell for those kids. He felt so encouraged by being there, by making a difference,” she said.Rodriguez Ramirez and his wife, Moraima, were married last Dec. 1 and settled in Rochester, N.Y. The couple has a 5-month-old daughter, Kiara, and Rodriguez Ramirez’ 4-year-old daughter, Ariana, lives in Niagara Falls with his ex-wife.She said Rodriguez Ramirez was due to leave the Army in January. He talked about joining the Coast Guard and taking college courses toward becoming a pilot.He also leaves his sisters, Iliana and Nelmarys, and a brother, Ricardo.