Wilmington Marine dies in Afghanistan

“He died being a hero. He died doing what he loved,” says Brandy Carver. Her husband, Lance Corporal Ross Carver was out on a special mission in Marjah, Afghanistan Thursday when he was shot in a fire fight.

Brandy found out when she came home from the beach. “As I was walking in, pretty much my heart sank to the floor. At first I thought maybe he had just gotten hurt because I only saw one person and as I’m rounding the corner you saw the chaplain and you saw another gentleman waiting there. And he asked me my name. He asked me if my husband was Lance Corporal Ross Carver and I had said ‘yes’ to the questions and then he was like ‘I’m sorry to inform you, but your husband has been killed’ and I dropped to the floor.”

Ross and Brandy were Laney High School sweethearts. A year after they graduated, they got married. In June, Ross left for Afghanistan, just a few months after their son William was born.

“He was always there to help somebody out. He would always go out of his way, whether it be for another marine, or for a family member or just for somebody on the side of the road.”

Brandy is still receiving Ross’ letters in the mail. “People don’t understand what these men and women do for our country. They do it for people to do what they want.”

She couldn’t have more pride in the man Brandy calls her prince charming, her hero. “I’m proud of him. I don’t regret the day he joined the military. I backed him up 24/7 and I still do.”

Brandy works as a family readiness assistant, helping other military wives who lose their husbands in war. Now she’s having to go through it herself. Brandy says she’s gotten more than 700 calls from people in Wilmington who knew her husband.

Lance Corporal Ross Carver’s body will be returned to Wilmington Wednesday. His funeral is Friday.