Brian Chevalier laid to rest

NEW LEXINGTON, Ohio - The younger brother of an Ohio native killed in Iraq choked up as he told mourners that he will always be proud of the man he called his hero and his best friend.

"I just wish I could have spent more time with you," Dustin Chevalier said. "But I will always remember the good times."

"I know you're looking down on us and we will be safe," he added.

Army Cpl. Brian Chevalier was buried in New Lexington on Saturday, ten days after he was killed in Mufrek, Iraq, when an explosive device detonated near him. Born in Zanesville and raised in nearby Crooksville, Chevalier made his home in Athens, Ga. when he wasn't deployed with the Army.

Fellow soldiers remembered the 21-year-old as someone who thrived under pressure and committed himself to a long stint serving his country.

Representatives from the Army presented his parents with the Bronze Star and Purple Heart during funeral services, and a letter from Chevalier's leader in Iraq, Capt. Matthew James, was read aloud.

"He was so dedicated and knew exactly what he wanted and that led him to sign up for six more years," James wrote. "He decided the Army was exactly what he wanted to do in life. He knew all this so much earlier than most young people his age."

Family members and friends said they would remember his eager smile, easygoing spirit, his knack for working on cars and the way he cherished his young daughter.

Dustin Chevalier said family members will always recall his brother with pride.

"We will never let you fade away," Dustin said. "You will be truly missed."

From the Journal

Related Link:
Brian Chevalier remembered by comrades

Related Link:
Brian L. Chevalier dies of injuries from I.E.D.