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Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
Lesleigh Coyer, 25, of Saginaw, Michigan, lies down in front of the grave of her brother, Ryan Coyer, who served with the U.S. Army in both Iraq and Afghanistan, at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on March 11, 2013. Coyer died one year ago.
At 26, Staff Sgt. Ryan Coyer already had a lifetime of accomplishments: four tours to Afghanistan, two tours to Iraq, and being named a member of the elite U.S. Army Rangers.
On Monday, the eve of the one-year anniversary of Coyer’s death, his family gathered at his graveside to commemorate that lifetime of accomplishments, unexpectedly cut short when Coyer died of cardiac arrest.
"The kid could do anything he wanted as long as he put his mind to it," Anthony Coyer, Ryan’s father, told Michigan’s MLive.com last year of his son, who was born in Nashville but grew up in Saginaw, Mich., playing football and frequently landing on the honor roll. "He wouldn't admit that."
Coyer enlisted in the Army in 2004, according to his obituary, posted by Snow Funeral Home in Saginaw. He was 19 when he enlisted; his father said he had made the decision to leave Saginaw — a town of 52,000 — for boot camp in Georgia when he was still a high school senior.
"Before he graduated [high school], he signed himself up," Anthony Coyer told MLive.com. "He did it on his own and he came home one day and told his mom and dad what he was going to do."
Six months after enlisting, according to his obituary, Coyer was assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment, the special operations command unit of the U.S. Army Rangers.
Soon Coyer was deployed overseas, then deployed again — and again. In between his two tours of duty in Iraq and four in Afghanistan, Coyer wouldn’t talk much about what his prestigious team did in combat.
"We just know that he ... served to protect and defend this country, and he did a damn good job of it," Anthony Coyer told MLive.com.
Coyer had been back on base at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga., on March 12, 2012, when he suddenly died of cardiac arrest. Further details surrounding his death weren’t made public.
Efforts by NBC News to reach Coyer's family on Tuesday were unsuccessful.
Lesleigh Coyer, his younger sister, called her only sibling a protective "best friend" who was never quick to like the guys she chose to date. She told MLive.com that she and her brother, just two years apart, used to get into mischief all the time, such as toilet papering their neighborhood late at night.
The final resting place for Lesleigh Coyer’s partner-in-mischief — a decorated serviceman who loved lifting weights and riding his motorcycle, his obituary says — is Arlington National Cemetery. On Monday, a Reuters photographer took a picture of Lesleigh curled up on the ground in front of her brother’s grave, grieving. She and her parents were visiting the military cemetery in Virginia from Saginaw a day before the one-year anniversary of Coyer’s death.
"I looked up to him," Lesleigh Coyer told MLive.com via text days after her brother’s death. "I leaned on him, just as he did me ... He was a great man and I was honored to be his sister."
NBC News’ David Arnott contributed to this report.
Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
Tony Coyer puts his hand on the shoulder of his daughter Lesleigh as his wife Mary weeps while visiting the grave of his son.
This story was originally published on Tue Mar 12, 2013 7:19 AM EDT
Leave a Comment:
This soldier was deployed 6 times before he died. Get us the hell out of there. Let them kill each other into extinction, I don't care. Just get us out.
His death had nothing to do with being deployed. Remember he signed up for that life, wanted to do what he did, was paid well with the expectation of great benefits for the rest of his life and chose that life. Respect him by respecting his life style choice.
I wonder how many Afghanistan and Iraqi families grieve after Staff Sgt. Ryan Coyer murdered their loved ones?
Just saying
It is heartbreaking to see all the young lives lost in these stupid wars... :(
Politicians who started these wars and who allow them to continue, are the ones who killed and wounded our people. I wish we could send them all to the front line to serve 6 tours of duty.
Rev. J. Wright (clever name) - you are a dumbass. Stuff your political beliefs (whichever side they might favor) up your butt. This is about a family's grief, no one here cares about your ridiculous opinion. The man did his job, and after spending 6 tours away from his home and family, he deserves more respect than you are probably capable of.
Rev. He never murdered anyone. Magic 8-Ball, do I smell an ass hole? YES
@rev j wright: water the garden, eat a doughnut, Look In The Mirror And TAKE YOUR MEDS. You Are NOT one to judge what this Young MAN Chose for his life, moron...........
REV J WRIGHT;
You sir are a complete ASS !
To the family of SSGT Ryan Coyer;
You have my deepest sympathy for your tragic lose. Many fail to under stand the rigors of normal training called for in a military life out side of combat. I am certain your son & brother was an exceptional soldier.
While I may not be of your faith, I will offer a prayer for this brother in arms.
RIP SSGT COYER
To the one maliciously using the alias, "Rev J Wright,"
Whomever you really are, you're not fooling us.
You've repeatedly used that online name to smear the actual man to promote your own reactionary political agenda. It's obvious to all of us that you don't represent him at all. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah_Wright Based on the history of your vitriolic comments, your choice of street vernacular and lack of good grammar, I'd wager you're at most, a third of the retired Reverend's age. The more ridiculous your comments the more it motivates some of us to research whom the real Rev. Wright was. You are nothing like the real man. Although I'm no fan of the actual Reverend since I'm not a religious person, the least you could do is to have the sense and basic decency to know when to, "back off." You are far, far worse than anything you believe he may have done or said in the past, and you, are undeserving of any discredit to his name.
The least you could have done was to respect the victim and his surviving family but no, you chose not to. Instead you chose to make a juvenile statement to imply that you and others should side with those that are hostile to our U.S and NATO allied troops fighting and dying there. Who in the HELL do you think you are, and who are you to judge?
It wouldn't surprise me if enough in the real Rev, Wright's congregation and sympathizers appeal through official means to get you identified over the web as the actual person behind the alias, and have you dragged into civil court for misrepresentation, slander, fraud, and a few other charges I'm sure their attorneys can dream up.
And simply for you being on the web doesn't make you as anonymous as you believe you are, no matter how many firewalls, routers, VLANs and encryption schemes you may have used to cover your trail. Any number of white hat hackers, their private groups (and government agencies) have the capabilities to track and ident who you are and where you live.
You have been warned. "Diss" this warning, at your peril, traitor.
I agree Owen what a waste of a good man. They dont want us there anyway. I dont care if they kill each other either.
This article is proving a good test of who actually reads the article before commenting...
OK, 6 deployments made me think the guy must have a death wish, but how ironic to die while safely back in the USA. Regardless, I salute your dedication to this country, sir. Peace on your soul and with your family.
Thank you rradio.
How many people did he slaughter over there? Yet we weep for a murderer. I DONT THINK SO.
REV J WRIGHT...as a combat veteran you better be glad your writing that on a computer and not saying that to my face. You are a disgrace.
REST IN PEACE SSG!
Bottom line, "STUFFITLOSERS" you don't know whether that's true, or false. Yeah, our COUNTRY'S actions in Iraq and Afghanistan have led to the deaths of thousands of the people of those nations, right, wrong, or otherwise. The policy may be F'ed up, but I'm not about to lay it on the guy whose volunteered to get his ass shot at, believing he's defending our homeland. Especially via a forum where you and I just sit on our butts and complain online.
Hey, rradiko and heather, @!$%# YOU - that is my opinion - and diko if you read my previous post you'll see that I use the moniker "REV J WRIGHT" to piss @!$%# holes like you off.
and with 9 up ticks - I guess I'm not the only one the feels this way - so @!$%# you again.
I don't see any ticks, 9 or otherwise. I DID see where the Community Squashed your Comment! So, take it somewhere else, you've been outed!!!
Hmmm... Regardless of how he died, Staff Sgt. Ryan Coyer served his country honorably. His family and friends will never get over his untimely death. My best friend died in Vietnam in 1967, and there still are daily reminders about that for me.
A few days ago, Afghanistan’s president Karzai just slapped the U.S. in the face.
We do have the ability to say "goodbye" and leave within 45 to 60 days, but that is unlikely.
As much as I dislike Kentucky U.S. Senator Rand Paul, due to his strange ideas and his rat's nest hairdo, he was on TV earlier today making comments about getting out now, while the getting is good. He pointed out that we have "been there," doing that, for 12 years...
That was a very subtle reminder that it has been that long, and there is little progress to show for our efforts - other than eliminating bin-Laden, and interfering with some of the operations of Al-Qaida.
Personally, I believe the Soviets failed at a great cost of $$$$billions, and dead/injured soldiers; and, that somehow was not a good lesson for the U.S. Reasoning impaired folks in the U.S. government decided, "Where the Soviets failed, we can prevail, because we are the good guys."
No matter who tries to interfere in Afghanistan, it is not possible to drag or force a draconian and feudal society into 2013.
Mr. President, and all the members of both houses of the U.S. Congress, we need to leave Afghanistan now, within the next 45 days, not in 2014.
You can do it. Just issue the orders to withdraw; and, to blow up or destroy anything that belongs to the U.S. that cannot be removed from Afghanistan. It really is time to say goodbye.
Rev J Wright, you are suspended for a day for violating rule # 1 of the Code of Honor.
Rev J Wright, you are suspended for a week for violating rule # 1 of the Code of Honor.
Don't openly troll either, please.
J Wright
I had to stop and think for a while on how to respond to your posts above. The only two words I could come up with were pathetic and disgusting! I am going to go out on a limb here and state that it is a safe bet that you have never served your country in the military, and if so it certainly was nowhere near a combat zone. I am a retired/disabled combat vet who served my country honorably for 20 years with service from Vietnam to the 1st Gulf war. I am nobody special and I am no hero. I am just somebody who survived. The truest heroes are SSGT Coyer and those like him that gave their all for their country. I doubt you can ever truly comprehend that concept.
I could be like some people posting and tell you to shut up, or to go live someplace else if you hate it here. But I won't do that. I want you to keep right on posting your hatefull comments and continue to live freely able to do so here. I do not tell you that out of kindness, I tell you that because I want you to be reminded every single day of your miserable life just where the right to do what you do came from! It comes from those who are ready and willing to sacrifice their lives on a daily basis for all Americans. I want to make sure you are never allowed to forget that!
To the the Coyer family, this old beat up sailor sends his profound and sincere sympathies and condolences for your loss.
My thanks to all who have served or are presently serving. You are truly appreciated!
As a Khe Sanh Combat base survivor it never seemed acceptable for my fellow Marines to die getting out of a shower or just sitting down in a chair, things that just seemed so benign after all we had been through. After countless passings like these the obvious finally became apparent.
Obviously God likes to have great people close to him s. Since we are known by those we associate with so is he. SSG Coyer, needed to come home his Father loves him and he wanted to keep him close to him is all. We have had him long enough. God bless you Ranger!
Tim Craft
Thanks for a eloquent and well stated post.
Semper Fi!
Hi Ed.
Between this article, some of the posts here (like Tim Craft's) and your post, I'm in tears. There is little for me to say except thanks and my condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Coyer.
Although I must disagree with you on this statement
Not true. You are very special (I've had the pleasure of reading many of your posts so I know this for sure) and anyone who has served our country honorably is a hero, imho.
THANK you, Sally at 1.19 & 1.20!!!
Chef
My thanks for your comments. I am reminded of a saying I saw on a t-shirt the other day regarding vets that puts things into perspective for me. "All gave some. Some gave all!" Have a good evening.
No matter if you believe it or not, the fact is God has a mission for all of his children, this man had completed his mission according to God's plan not ours. Rejoice in the knowledge that he is now in Heaven with Christ where he will never be in harms way again. I ask God to fill his family's heart with peace and to know all is well. I pray that God bless his creation and has mercy on those who follow him. As for this country, we can see the destructive path it has been going for several decades and will soon be judged for its condoning the murder of babies and its exceptance of the sexual immorality of homosexuality.
Jerry
I was with you all the way until your last sentence. Then you blew it and went too far and also crossed the line onto off topic in that your particular religious view on the state of our country had nothing to do with SSGT Coyer or his death!
I thought everyone knew when you play Russian Roulette, you better stop if you get to number six?
Ranger Coyer, rest in peace.
The picture says a thousand words..
Get our soldiers out of there" you don't car for them properly when they do return home,otherwise he wouldn't have been deployed six times..
To die for some useless country that doesn't want us there pathetic.
Protecting American interest over sea policy needs a lot of reviewing?
Who's interest?
Lusit... if you read the article, you see that he enlisted in 2004. This would mean that he reenlisted at least once and probably twice. If he felt he hadn't been "cared" for properly he would not have made the free choice decision to reenlist.
I do not think half of these people READ the article.
Lusitania - He actually died stateside of cardiac arrest...
What a bunch of nimrods "" like he had a place to go""" Why don't you losers smell what you've been shoveling..
Reynaldo - in the military it is NOT our place to question policy. In fact it is STRONGLY discouraged. They point - we go. Yes I have served. If you want to question anyone about 'policy' - ask the top man - the president of the day.
Lusitania: "Nimrod" was a mighty hunter! To call someone that is a compliment! I don't think that was your intention.
SSG Coyer R.I.P. You gave of yourself unselfeshly for your countrymen. I salute you!
If we resurrect the DRAFT, our legislators and Presidents may reconsider sending our Beloveds to every hell hole in an attempt to reverse cultures older than the USA. Countries where keeping the poor in their place and graft is the way business is done.
Normally I dislike photos where the photographer has intruded into the grief of victims and families, such as what was displayed at Sandy Hook, and the media mindset of "if it bleeds, it leads", but the emotion and the feelings conjured up at the image of this soldier's sister lying in front of his grave stone was so compelling and so heart-wrenching, I immediately started to cry. So small task for a 65 year old US Marine veteran. I shared her loss and it both saddened and angered me that a man such as this, obviously so loved by his family and so decorated as a soldier would come to such an end. If God or the President is watching and listening..........
"How many deaths will it take til he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin in the wind
The answer is blowin in the wind..........."
Actually, I think its BECAUSE you are a Marine that you can cry. Family members agonize over the loss of a loved one, but I think those that served have a level of "understanding" that goes beyond what anyone back home can know and feel.
Did you guys not read the article. He did not die in his deployment he did of a heart attack at home. A loss yes but not one that I would blame on the wars or his deployments. Many people who have never served in the military at all will also die of heart attacks.
Honestly a 26 year old having a heart attack most likely had everything to do with his deployments and the high stress environments and jobs he has carried over the past, almost 10 years of stress you and I will never know. But he did reinlist which means he must have loved and been proud of his work. We are proud of him and all our soldiers too.
I feel the same. I am crying at my desk. I feel so sad for this family.
I never believed I would ever see a picture, that would stir more sorrow and grief within me, than those of the perfectly aligned rows of white headstones of Arlington and European Theater and the massive rows of names of the Viet Nam memorial, I guess I was wrong.
Above and beyond the call of duty, U.S. Army Ranger, Ryan Coyer, Six Tours Of Duty.
A great loss to our nation, a greater loss to his family. R.I.P Ranger and Best Wishes for your family, may their pride in you, one day, help their memories be unspoiled by their grief.
Its probably a great victory for the family members of those he slaughtered in Iraq and Afghanistan. How stupid are some of you people that you don't see that? Only white american lives count? Oh that's right. They are ALL terrorists in those countries. Every single one of those stinky brown rag heads are terrorists right? Get a clue and stop letting patriotism crowd out rational thinking.
wow. you're an idiot. and he did 6 tours to maintain your right to spew your brainless comments. go suck a tail pipe trash.
This is the saddest picture I've ever seen. It brought tears to my eyes. The picture of the girl lying on her brother's grave says "irretrievable loss" better than any words ever could.
Next time somebody says anything about "winning" a war, they need to see one of these pictures. No one wins a war.
Right. War only kills people and breaks things.
God bless him and his family. My condolences to the family, this is terribly sad.
God Bless
if you love someone do everything to keep them from joining the military
How sad. For what?
nothing. rest in peace brother. "uh-rah!!"
My heart breaks for this family and all the families that have to deal with the davastation of loss or injury to a love one that our coward representives have sent to other countries to defend people who hate America! And when they return home they must FIGHT for what is due them.
America has lost sight as how to protect its own! GOD HELP US!
every congressmen and women should be sent to the front lines, thus saving us the cost ropes, and tax dollars! when a single person called a president has the power to send us too WAR, for personal reason's, he has too much power! AND WE ARE DOOMED as a country!
No - the children of every president, vice president, and representative should be on the front lines first. When they're done dying, send my kid.
I am much older than this young woman and her brother. My husband's grave, at Quantico Marine National Cemetary, says MM3, US Navy, Vietnam. The saddest thing I have seen at a gravesite was my 4 year old grandson, 1 year after we buried his grandpa. We sat by the grave, and the small child, 3 at the time of the burial, put his hand out to the gravestone and said "granpa." He knew. He shouldn't have to know.
Multiply this photo by twelve more families now suffering the loss of a loved one after this week of "freedom fighting" in Afghanistan. I can't imagine how our leaders can justify this... sending young men and women over there to die or to survived in body and come home crippled mentally or physically or to die later from wounds received, as this man did; for what? I'll never understand how the people who profit from war can look at themselves in the mirror each morning, never mind sit down to breakfast and eat. If even one of those grave markers in the photo was my personal responsibility, I'd never forgive myself.
One family at one headstone breaks my heart but the photo tells only one story. My condolences to this family and all the others, too... and each and every white stone in the photos and it's still such a small number of the total.
May you, SSG Coyer, now be with your God and He with your family.
Our societal debt to you can never be repaid.
You think God approves of this man killing innocent people over there? Really? You might want to dust off your Bible and take another look.
@#16: Our societal debt is dead and maimed soldiers. Our societal payment is $100 OIL.
Women were raped to death in Iraq by the Iraqi forces he went to fight against. Women raped and put out of the car naked by the leaders son. People lived in falling down homes while their leader had mansions full of riches. Women lived in fear that they may say the wrong thing or someone see their face and they would be killed or raped to death. Or fall in love with the wrong person and be killed for it. Then you have Afghanistan the drug capital of the world. Killing mothers and fathers and children all over the world with their poppy fields. So they could keep their terrorists in money. We haven't got any breaks on oil prices and I don't think we will. In one of the most crime ridden, money hungry and poor countries in the world. He was fighting to bring a sight of hope to the few there who were and are still good people. Each person who pulls a trigger in a war does it for the reason inside them. The right they see that is worst killing for. The thing that is so right to them it is worth dying for. To one child, to one family, to one group, to one country and to his own country he is a hero. To his enemies he is just another death. Who are you is the real question here.
@FreeAmericaorelse, so I guess having GW Bush murder tens of thousands of Iraqi women and children was better than having a few of them raped?
And did you know the Taliban outlawed poppy growing? Look up "Taliban in Texas" to see why we went to war against that country. It had nothing to do with 9/11.
What does it say about this country when the only thing these young men have is to go back over and over again to these hell holes...........May him and all those young men who died for us rest in peace because God knows they never found it here.
This country of ours has been at war since 1990 when Iraq invaded Kuwait. It is time to end the bloodshed. To all who gave the ultimate sacrifice, R.I.P.
Amen and well said brother!
HM1/FMF USN/RET 1972 - 1993
HM NEC 8452/8404
Couldn't agree more or said it better......
HM3/FMF 1988/1992 8404/0000 2nd BN 5th Mar
This is so sad on so many levels. To serve 6 tours of duty in a combat zone-where death is an everyday adversary, to make it back home and die unexpectedly of cardiac arrest at 25. Heartwrentching.....
R.I.P. SSG Coyer and condolences to the family
Sad story and condolences to the family. I am fortunate enough to have brothers and nephews deployed to multiple places and have them come home. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
To SSG Coyer's family, my condolences on your loss. To SSG Coyer, thanks for your Service. RLTW!
For the rest of you trying to link this to your particular political view, you didn't pay attention to the details in the article (if you even read beyond the headline). His tragic death had absolutely NOTHING to do with his Service to the people of the United States.
He "... died of cardiac arrest".
Being a Vietnam Veteran I am unable to comprehend those who desire to participate in "perpetual war."
And especially War based on lies, fraud, and for profit.
America's, and the World's only gain since 911 is many dead soldiers, many more wounded and maimed, and $100 OIL.
Cardiac arrest? Too much strain? Too much agony?
Why continue to send them over there? It's just causing more grief for Afghans, Iraqis, and Americans. America needs to just butt out of other peoples' lives and keep their people home. America doesn't even care about the people anyway, and only wants to get their oil. Stop wasting our money on war. Stop paying people to kill and be killed. It's a wast of money and time. Nothing good has come of all this, only more misunderstanding, resentment and death. Doesn't sound like victory to me.
Guess DOD has to continue to test their newer weapon systems somewhere.
This government nor any other cares about slaughtering its citizens to the god of war. Wake up. How many clowns gobble up the lie of 'dying for freedom'. Really? Tell me how blowing up a school bus filled with Iraqi children protects my freedoms. Last time I checked, CANADA was at war with NO ONE and yet they have FREEDOM.
Things that make you go hmmmm
Canada has or at least had troops deployed in Afghanistan.
You can't even make a dumbass statement correctly you moron.
Not to mention that a Canadian soldier holds the record for the longest range confirmed kill by a sniper in history while serving in Afghanistan. Oh, and by the way, if you would do a little research you would find that Canada with the exception of Vietnam, Grenada, and Panama has had troops in all the same conflicts the U.S. has been involved in from WW I up to and including Afghanistan as part of the U.N. coalition forces! So stuff it loser! Haaahhhh!
When is 'enough', enough...???
Unfortunately, nothing will EVER be enough for America. They will continue to take from poor countries in turmoil for as long as they can, in whatever ways they can, using any lies and excuses they can think of.
God bless this soldier and his family.
And Rev J Wright, I see that no one thought it of value to respond to your shameful, baseless and discompassionate post. It appears you've never served in the military. If I'm wrong, then you're even more of a disgusting individual.
How is it shameful to point out the FACT that this boy was over there killing people? What do you THINK american soldiers are doing, playing mahjong with them?? Pull your head out.
STUFFITLOSERS
Sounds like you have most likely never served in the military either. By the way, in case you have not figured it out, killing people is in the military "job description" dude! Pull your own head out!