Soldier from Wilton killed in Iraq (Nicholas Madaras)

(Wilton-WTNH, Sept. 5, 2006 10:30 PM) _ For the third time in less than two weeks a Connecticut community is rocked by the news of a serviceman lost in the war on terror.

The sobering word came to Wilton and the family and friends of Army Private First Class Nicholas Madaras.

Nick Madaras was scheduled to come back home from Iraq next month, he would also be celebrating his 20th birthday in October. Instead, his family is now in mourning.

Stations north of Baghdad, Private First Class Nick Madaras had been in the Army less than a year. He was fresh out of Wilton High School.

He wrote a letter to his hometown paper The Wilton Villager about his job to provide protection off base and he stated in part,"To some people this is a terrifying thought, riding around in a Humvee in a foreign country where it seems everyone wants to kill us."

He adds later,"... not to worry because we will be coming home soon."

But on Sunday the 19-year-old was killed by a roadside bomb in Baqubah.

"It makes it even more of a tragedy when something like this happens because it just isn't a number or a name in a newscast," says First Selectman Bill Brennan.

First Selectman Bill Brennan is a close personal friend of the Madaras family. He immediately ordered the flags to half-staff and went to express his heartfelt condolences.

"They are a wonderful family. The loss has his hard in this community," says Brennan.

To the high school in particular. Nick was a 2005 graduate, a soccer player and even part-time coach his last year. His sister Marie is now a senior and his brother Christopher in just 5th grade.

Nick still kept in touch with his guidance counselor at the High School, Dan Pompa.

"I don't know if I can put into words how it feels. It is just not good," says Pompa.

Now as part of the school's crisis team they will have to help others come to grips with such a sudden, permanent and painful loss.

Read the rest at WTNH 8