Javier Paredes was a true American hero. He died at the age of 24 fighting on the Iraq front. He sacrificed his life so the rest of us can live safe and free. Javier grew up in a Youth Ranch for at-risk and tragedy-based children. He listed the Ranch as family contact. From misfortune he grew up to become a decent man, happy to help others as an army medic. His sacrifice should not be in vain.

A long-time resident of the Hill Country Youth Ranch and graduate of Ingram Tom Moore High School died this week while serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq.

Javier Paredes was 24.

The U.S. Department of Defense late Thursday had not yet posted confirmation of Paredes’ death and several voicemail messages left for media contacts at U.S. DoD and at several U.S. Army offices were not returned Thursday.

HCYR Director Gary Priour said he had been notified Wednesday night, because Paredes had listed the residential treatment and foster care center as a family contact.

The death has saddened everyone at the center for at-risk and tragedy-based children, Priour said.

“We knew him to be a person of great character and courage, who cared deeply about others, including his siblings and friends at the Ranch,” Priour said in a statement. “He was proud that he had picked up the pieces and graduated from high school. By the time he left, he had become an integral part of our family here.”

Paredes arrived at HCYR in 1998, attended high school and graduated in 2002. In 2004, he joined the U.S. Army and became a medic after working jobs in construction and retail, Priour said.

HCYR staff Thursday remembered Paredes as someone who was ‘intrigued by everything he encountered.’ Although he struggled with physical abuse and neglect and was removed along with siblings from his family’s care, Paredes found ‘joy in the simplest of moments,’ Priour said in the statement.

The flag in front of the HCYR library was flown at half-mast in Paredes’ honor

“He was truly one of the sweetest spirits I’ve ever known,” Priour said. “He loved the medical corps in the army because he was always helping people.”

The drive-by media will all burn in hell for the way they cover this war. One has to go to local papers in Texas to find this story.