Thomas Vandling reported killed in Iraq

Relatives and friends gathered at the Bellevue home of a soldier's parents Tuesday, after Thomas Vandling became the region's latest casualty in Iraq sometime over the weekend.

The Defense Department hasn't released an official notification of Vandling's death. It normally sends out a notice 24 hours after contacting next of kin. A department spokesman said the notification could be delayed for several reasons, and he couldn't provide any details until the notice is released.

Vandling graduated from Northgate High School in Bellevue and majored in psychology and philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh.

Northgate Principal Bryan Kyle was a teacher at the high school when Vandling attended.

"Tom was a good kid, very friendly. I know all the kids enjoyed being around him," he said.

Vandling was on the varsity football team his senior year, Kyle said.

Greg Brown, 27, of Ross, was Vandling's friend since elementary school. He said Vandling was "just good people" who would help others, no questions asked.

He said he was sure Vandling made a good soldier.

"Like everything else he did in life, he did it the right way."

Vandling's MySpace page on the Internet said he liked playing any sport and was particularly interested in skiing and tae kwan do. His MySpace name was "Tommy Books," and he said on the site that he probably was reading too much.

The answers to a quiz on his site said that he wanted to visit Australia and wanted to be "a kid" when he grew up.

From the Tribune Review