Remembering a Fallen Soldier

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Story Published: Mar 18, 2007 at 11:14 PM MDT

Story Updated: Mar 19, 2007 at 2:04 AM MDT

By Rick Montanez

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As we reported Saturday, 29-year-old Emerson Brand of Rigby was killed in Iraq last Thursday.

He will likely be burried in Texas, but today his uncle, a pastor at the Apostolic Assembly in Idaho Falls, held special services to honor him.

The Apostolic Assembly was filled with people who came to pay their tributes to Sergeant Emerson Noah Brand. His grandparents Mary and Gabriel Mendez live in Idaho Falls, and they say Emerson requested a unit transfer so he could serve another term in Iraq.

"She told me yesterday that Emerson knew what he was going to," said Mary.

Emerson spent the last nine years of his life in the Army, serving once in Kosovo and this was his second deployment to Iraq.

"Suddenly he decided to go to the army, personal matters I guess," said Gabriel.

"He was a brave boy," added Mary.

His bravery took him into his second term in Iraq, but it was tragically cut short when an IED struck his unit, killing Emerson and three other soldiers. Gabriel says he heard about the deaths, but was hoping it wasn't Emerson.

"I just felt a feeling, but I never thought it was my grandson," he said.

Word hit the Mendez family Thursday when Emerson's parents, who live in Oklahoma, called to break the news about his death.

"She said, Mom you need to sit down, and Daddy too, and I said what happened? She says Emerson is with the Lord," said Mary.

As tragic as this has been for Gabriel and Mary, they say they know emerson is in a better place.

"We had prayed for him, he was my little boy," said Mary.

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