Stephen M. Kowalczyk killed by small arms fire

BOULDER - Resident Gerry Kowalczyk says that her son loved adventure so much that he traveled the world looking for it.

Army Specialist Stephen M. Kowalczyk died while serving in Iraq. The soldier, his family said, was a very mellow guy who sent countless letters to family.

"He wrote letters telling about how lovely it was at night when he could look up at the sky at what he said were a million stars," said Gerry Kowalczyk from her home in Boulder "He was a great guy."

The 32-year-old Army Specialist was killed on March 14th by small arms fire. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Kowalczyk lived with his family in Albuqerque while his father was serving in the Air Force.

The soldier graduated from Highland High School and was a member of the Hornets' swim team.

His mother said that he lived mainly in San Francisco where he worked for the Sky Chair Company. He lived in Boulder briefly when the companywas located on 9th Street.

Kowalczyk said her son saved his money from working for the company to travel around the world including a visit to the Middle East.

She says she recently sent him a care package with the pencils, note pads and Hershey bars he had requested. He told her that he gave it all away to Iraqi children. She says she was proud that he liked what he was doing.

From KUSA 9