BY KERRY BURKE
and LEO STANDORA
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Spec. Victor Martinez
A young Bronx soldier who joined the Army to "fight for righteousness" and better his family's life was shot dead in Iraq, his stepfather said yesterday.
Spec. Victor Martinez, 21, died of a single gunshot wound to the head in Baghdad on Tuesday. The circumstances are still being investigated, but his stepfather said the officer who informed the family of the death said Martinez may have been carrying supplies to the front line at the time.
Martinez became the 20th service member from New York City to perish in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"It's Christmas. It should be a happy time," said the stepfather, Charles Perez, 47, who said he raised the young man from the age 9.
Instead we have to bury our son," he said in a quavering voice in his Morris Heights apartment building.
Perez said the soldier's mom, Juana, 41, a home health-care aide; his brother, Charles, 20, and sister, Arlene, 9, were "too crushed" to talk to anyone.
"My wife hasn't stopped crying since the soldiers came to tell us Wednesday," he said.
Perez described Martinez as "a wonderful boy" who attended church every Sunday, loved sports and was devoted to his family.
"Oh, my God," he said. "How can I tell you about such a kindhearted soul? He touched so many lives. If you knew Victor, you knew an angel from God."
Perez said his stepson joined the Army shortly after graduating from Theodore Roosevelt High School to "serve his country" and planned to use the military as a springboard to a good job in civilian life.
Assigned to the 364th Supply Company, 264th Corps Support Battalion, 1st Corps Support Command out of Fort Bragg, N.C., Martinez served a tour in Korea before going to Iraq in June.
Perez said his stepson, who played football for the Kips Bay Boys Club, had a brown belt in karate and wanted to be a cop.
The father said Martinez' death was perhaps hardest on his little sister.
"She was born sick and had trouble breathing, but when she finally came home, he would sit for hours watching over her," Perez recalled.
"He was always there for her and their mother. They were his world."
Now, he said, the family prays for Victor - and those who took his life.
"They killed my boy, but I forgive them," he said sadly.
Originally published on December 18, 2004
and LEO STANDORA
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Spec. Victor Martinez
A young Bronx soldier who joined the Army to "fight for righteousness" and better his family's life was shot dead in Iraq, his stepfather said yesterday.
Spec. Victor Martinez, 21, died of a single gunshot wound to the head in Baghdad on Tuesday. The circumstances are still being investigated, but his stepfather said the officer who informed the family of the death said Martinez may have been carrying supplies to the front line at the time.
Martinez became the 20th service member from New York City to perish in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"It's Christmas. It should be a happy time," said the stepfather, Charles Perez, 47, who said he raised the young man from the age 9.
Instead we have to bury our son," he said in a quavering voice in his Morris Heights apartment building.
Perez said the soldier's mom, Juana, 41, a home health-care aide; his brother, Charles, 20, and sister, Arlene, 9, were "too crushed" to talk to anyone.
"My wife hasn't stopped crying since the soldiers came to tell us Wednesday," he said.
Perez described Martinez as "a wonderful boy" who attended church every Sunday, loved sports and was devoted to his family.
"Oh, my God," he said. "How can I tell you about such a kindhearted soul? He touched so many lives. If you knew Victor, you knew an angel from God."
Perez said his stepson joined the Army shortly after graduating from Theodore Roosevelt High School to "serve his country" and planned to use the military as a springboard to a good job in civilian life.
Assigned to the 364th Supply Company, 264th Corps Support Battalion, 1st Corps Support Command out of Fort Bragg, N.C., Martinez served a tour in Korea before going to Iraq in June.
Perez said his stepson, who played football for the Kips Bay Boys Club, had a brown belt in karate and wanted to be a cop.
The father said Martinez' death was perhaps hardest on his little sister.
"She was born sick and had trouble breathing, but when she finally came home, he would sit for hours watching over her," Perez recalled.
"He was always there for her and their mother. They were his world."
Now, he said, the family prays for Victor - and those who took his life.
"They killed my boy, but I forgive them," he said sadly.
Originally published on December 18, 2004
BY KERRY BURKE
and LEO STANDORA
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Spec. Victor Martinez
A young Bronx soldier who joined the Army to "fight for righteousness" and better his family's life was shot dead in Iraq, his stepfather said yesterday.
Spec. Victor Martinez, 21, died of a single gunshot wound to the head in Baghdad on Tuesday. The circumstances are still being investigated, but his stepfather said the officer who informed the family of the death said Martinez may have been carrying supplies to the front line at the time.
Martinez became the 20th service member from New York City to perish in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"It's Christmas. It should be a happy time," said the stepfather, Charles Perez, 47, who said he raised the young man from the age 9.
Instead we have to bury our son," he said in a quavering voice in his Morris Heights apartment building.
Perez said the soldier's mom, Juana, 41, a home health-care aide; his brother, Charles, 20, and sister, Arlene, 9, were "too crushed" to talk to anyone.
"My wife hasn't stopped crying since the soldiers came to tell us Wednesday," he said.
Perez described Martinez as "a wonderful boy" who attended church every Sunday, loved sports and was devoted to his family.
"Oh, my God," he said. "How can I tell you about such a kindhearted soul? He touched so many lives. If you knew Victor, you knew an angel from God."
Perez said his stepson joined the Army shortly after graduating from Theodore Roosevelt High School to "serve his country" and planned to use the military as a springboard to a good job in civilian life.
Assigned to the 364th Supply Company, 264th Corps Support Battalion, 1st Corps Support Command out of Fort Bragg, N.C., Martinez served a tour in Korea before going to Iraq in June.
Perez said his stepson, who played football for the Kips Bay Boys Club, had a brown belt in karate and wanted to be a cop.
The father said Martinez' death was perhaps hardest on his little sister.
"She was born sick and had trouble breathing, but when she finally came home, he would sit for hours watching over her," Perez recalled.
"He was always there for her and their mother. They were his world."
Now, he said, the family prays for Victor - and those who took his life.
"They killed my boy, but I forgive them," he said sadly.
Originally published on December 18, 2004
and LEO STANDORA
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Spec. Victor Martinez
A young Bronx soldier who joined the Army to "fight for righteousness" and better his family's life was shot dead in Iraq, his stepfather said yesterday.
Spec. Victor Martinez, 21, died of a single gunshot wound to the head in Baghdad on Tuesday. The circumstances are still being investigated, but his stepfather said the officer who informed the family of the death said Martinez may have been carrying supplies to the front line at the time.
Martinez became the 20th service member from New York City to perish in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"It's Christmas. It should be a happy time," said the stepfather, Charles Perez, 47, who said he raised the young man from the age 9.
Instead we have to bury our son," he said in a quavering voice in his Morris Heights apartment building.
Perez said the soldier's mom, Juana, 41, a home health-care aide; his brother, Charles, 20, and sister, Arlene, 9, were "too crushed" to talk to anyone.
"My wife hasn't stopped crying since the soldiers came to tell us Wednesday," he said.
Perez described Martinez as "a wonderful boy" who attended church every Sunday, loved sports and was devoted to his family.
"Oh, my God," he said. "How can I tell you about such a kindhearted soul? He touched so many lives. If you knew Victor, you knew an angel from God."
Perez said his stepson joined the Army shortly after graduating from Theodore Roosevelt High School to "serve his country" and planned to use the military as a springboard to a good job in civilian life.
Assigned to the 364th Supply Company, 264th Corps Support Battalion, 1st Corps Support Command out of Fort Bragg, N.C., Martinez served a tour in Korea before going to Iraq in June.
Perez said his stepson, who played football for the Kips Bay Boys Club, had a brown belt in karate and wanted to be a cop.
The father said Martinez' death was perhaps hardest on his little sister.
"She was born sick and had trouble breathing, but when she finally came home, he would sit for hours watching over her," Perez recalled.
"He was always there for her and their mother. They were his world."
Now, he said, the family prays for Victor - and those who took his life.
"They killed my boy, but I forgive them," he said sadly.
Originally published on December 18, 2004
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