Friends, family urge Byron Fouty to stay strong

Friends and family pleaded for U.S. Army Pvt. Byron Fouty to "stay strong" and "get back home" in messages on a social networking Web site, as federal officials confirmed Tuesday that the former Walled Lake Central High School student is among four missing soldiers in Iraq, possibly kidnapped by Al Qaeda...

Fouty, 19, whom the Defense Department lists as being from Waterford, wrote in an April 12 entry on his MySpace.com page that he was angry to learn he'd have to stay in Iraq longer than he originally thought...

In an April 12 entry, Fouty expresses frustration about military life, writing that he wants to get home to see his nephew and celebrate his sister's birthday...

According to Fouty's My Space page, his favorite movie is "Good Will Hunting" and he has too many favorite books to list. He said his hero is "anyone who has the strength to follow a belief or idea through." He also admires Superman.

Read the rest at the Detroit Free Press