STATESBORO, Ga. — The Statesboro community is grieving a loss Tuesday night after a 2003 graduate was killed in the recent explosion attack in Afghanistan.
Statesboro High football coach Steve Pennington is saddened by the news his former athlete - Chester McBride -- was killed in Afghanistan by a suicide bomber and remembered the man McBride was.
"He valued work ethic and he valued teamwork," Pennington said. "But the biggest thing I think, one thing that I remember about him, is his quietness, I believe he was a person who observed life itself. He had great compassion for others...and he wanted to do well."
McBride was a football standout for the Blue Devils and filled the cornerback position.
Statesboro Principal Dr. Ken LeCain released the following statement:
"The entire <del></del>Blue Devil family was extremely saddened by the news of the passing of Chester McBride. I will always remember him as a young man of high character with a great smile. Chester made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. I consider myself fortunate to have worked closely with Chester as a student and an athlete. We were fortunate to have Chester visit the school and address our athletes in October. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family."
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter on Attack Against U.S. Service Members in Afghanistan released the following statement:
"It is with deep regret that I learned today that six U.S. service members died in Afghanistan Monday. We are still learning all of the details, but two other service members and a U.S. contractor were also injured. They died after a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attack on their patrol outside Bagram Air Base. It serves as a painful reminder of the dangers our troops face every day in Afghanistan.
As I saw firsthand during my visit to Afghanistan last Friday, our troops are working diligently alongside our Afghan partners to build a brighter future for the Afghan people. Their dedicated efforts will continue despite this tragic event. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families of these brave Americans who died in service to this vital mission, and our thoughts remain with all of our troops serving overseas during this holiday season so that we may have peace and security at home."
WJAX
