Special Forces soldier dies trying to save NC kids

[High_Gravity]

R.I.P

Special Forces soldier dies trying to save NC kids

HOPE MILLS, N.C. (AP) — A decorated Green Beret who returned from his fifth deployment to Afghanistan last summer died Tuesday trying to rescue his two young daughters from their burning home near Fort Bragg. The girls were also killed in the blaze.

Edward Cantrell and his wife escaped from the 2 a.m. blaze by jumping from the home's second floor, the Cumberland County sheriff's office said. Cantrell then wrapped himself in a blanket and re-entered the burning home in Hope Mills, about 10 miles from the Army base that is home to the Green Berets and other Special Forces units, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Tanna said.

Cantrell, 36, was trying to reach 6-year-old Isabella and 4-year-old Natalia, who were trapped in second-floor bedrooms, Tanna said.

"He never made it back out," Tanna said. Firefighters found their bodies inside the home, Tanna said.

The house was built in 1920. Tanna said the old home's timbers were likely very dry, causing a fast-moving blaze. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

A sign at the end of the driveway blocked with yellow police tape says "The Cantrells Est. Feb. 7, 2004." Bouquets of flowers and two teddy bears had been placed there.

Louise Cantrell was being treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation. The family dog, a Rottweiler named Sasha, also survived the fire and was being kept by neighbors.

Cantrell was a member of the 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg. He held the rank of chief warrant officer 2, which authorized Cantrell to lead half of his 12-member Green Beret team if it was split up, said Lt. Col. April Olsen, a spokeswoman for Army Special Forces Command.

Cantrell joined the Army in 1994 and had one combat deployment to Iraq and five to Afghanistan, returning from the last mission in August, Olsen said. His record included four Bronze Stars and one Purple Heart, awarded for wounds suffered in a war zone, Olsen said. Details of the acts that earned the medals were not immediately available, she said.

"There are no words to express the sorrow felt in our close-knit community when a family suffers such a tragedy," the command said on its Facebook page.

Special Forces soldier dies trying to save NC kids - Yahoo! News

 

[The Infidel]

Damn thats sad.

 

[High_Gravity]

Damn thats sad.

I know, the man went out like a hero.

 

[syrenn]

so very sad.

 

[Peach]

so very sad.

Horrible, RIP that good man.

 

[MikeK]

That is the saddest thing I've read about in a very long time.

 

[Peach]

That is the saddest thing I've read about in a very long time.

The mother who has to live on after this is also a victim.

 

[freedombecki]

"four Bronze Stars and one Purple Heart, awarded for wounds suffered in a war zone"

No thought of himself, save everybody else first. No wonder he had a passel of bronze stars and scars. I'm so sorry to hear one of America's best lost his daughters and then his own life, with his wife losing all in less than a twinkling.