Local Marine killed in Afghanistan

BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. - It's something no parent should ever have to face: a Marine Corps chaplain coming to your door to deliver dreaded news. That's what happened to one family, when officials told them their son was killed in the line of duty while serving in Afghanistan.

"This is just too much for a parent to have to deal with. Having a son deployed, and then get home and find out they're waiting on you to tell you some news like this," exclaimed Pamela Ferrell, as tears rolled down her face.

Bruce Ferrell, Jr., 21, was a member of Fox Company - 3rd Platoon, and had been deployed to Afghanistan in May. His patrol had left their Humvee and were on foot when a roadside improvised explosive device, or IED, detonated and took his life.

Officials told the Ferrells that their son was initially listed as missing in action, but his body was later recovered. This is the second time the family has had to cope with the loss of a child.

"This is very hard because this is the second child I've lost. In December of 2006, I lost my oldest daughter, who was 21, in a bad car wreck in Pine Grove, and now my son in Afghanistan. He was 21. This makes my two oldest kids that I've lost in the last couple of years," explained Ferrell.

Ferrell graduated from Baldwin County High School as an honor student in 2006. He was part of the R.O.T.C. program there, and played on the soccer team.

His father, Bruce Ferrell Sr., reflected on his son's outgoing spirit, saying that family and all of his friends would help them get through the hard times ahead.

"We've got plenty of family and friends, a lot of his friends, is the big thing. I don't know how many friends he's actually got because they're all the way from here to North Carolina," Bruce Sr. said.

Ferrel, Sr. also said that he was more proud than he'd ever been when his son graduated high school. He and his wife didn't know that his son had joined the Marines until after he'd already signed up and a friend of his let it slip. They've supported his decision, saying that he wore the uniform with pride.

"He loved serving his country. He loved being in the Marine Corps. This is what he wanted to do. He told me he's doing this for his family and his country," reflected his mother.

Bruce had not been in contact with his family for over two months prior to Saturday. That's when they spoke with their son for the last time. He told his mother he loved her.

"He seemed happy. He told me to calm down because I was crying so much, that he was alright, everything was good. But he said that it's very scary over there. He said that there's things that he'd seen that he'd never forget," Pamela said as she tried to fight back tears.

Bruce Sr. tried to lighten the mood by offering the one thing about Bruce Jr. that he would always remember: "His smile... his big ole' smile," he said.

The Ferrells are waiting to hear from the Marine Corps about the arrival of their son's body. They said he should be flown in to Mobile in the next three to six days.