Andrew H. Nelson dies of injuries from I.E.D.

Andrew Nelson wanted to be a soldier since he was a kid. His father says he enlisted in the Army at the beginning of his senior year at St. Johns high school and was called to active duty this past August.

Private First Class Nelson was killed on Christmas day in Iraq after a roadside bomb hit his vehicle near Baghdad. His high school swimming coach says he will always remember his ability to make others laugh.
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One thing i remember most about him is his sense of humor and his feistiness," said coach Kim Brewbaker. "He was one of those kids who was great to coach, he was a lot of fun to be around. He always had something funny to say."

His father Alan says he was always dedicated to protecting his country. He said Andrew was honored to be fighting even though he was away from his wife and high school sweetheart, Kristi.

Nelson was a member of the 9th engineering battalion and was stationed in Germany before being deployed. And by giving his life to protect others, Brewbaker says he should be considered a hero.

"For him to do what he did, there's not a lot of people who would step up and do that.," he said. "And I'll tell you right now, he loved his family, he adored his wife, and he loved his country. I think that tells the story of Andrew Nelson right there. He's a true hero in my book."

From WILX 10