She 'died in his arms' - Female GI dies in husband's arms in Iraq

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1071570759109460.xml

Hours after a bomb exploded in front of Army Staff Sgt. Kimberley Fahnestock Voelz in Iraq, she died in a military hospital in the arms of her husband.

Voelz's death Sunday was caused by the explosion of a bomb she was defusing. The blast nearly tore off her left leg and filled her body with shrapnel. Only the quick action of a fellow soldier, who applied a tourniquet to her injured leg, kept her from dying on the spot.

As Voelz, 27, was being taken to the hospital, her husband, Staff Sgt. Max Voelz, who was stationed nearby, received word of the incident. He rushed to her side at the military hospital at the Baghdad airport.

She died a few hours later.

"Max feels like he left us down, but he didn't," said Floyd Fahnestock, her father. "He was there to hold her when she died. God wanted that."

[slinkerwink]

1. that's so sad

:-(

[incapsulated]

2. god

That's awful.

I thought they couldn't send both husband and wife, but I guess that's only if they have children.

They never will, now. :(

[prolesunited]

3. This story breaks my heart

"She believed in what she was doing over there to help the Iraqi people," said Carol Fahnestock, Kimberley's mother. "She died for America." <-- What do you say to people who believe this, especially when that's all they have to hold onto when their loved one dies?

[Bucky]

5. She died representing the best of America

She was a woman working in a tough, traditionally male-only job. She was serving her country and showing Iraqi women that woman can do any kind of job. She was diffusing a bomb at personal risk to herself because if they didn't diffuse those bombs, lots of Iraqi people could have been hurt or killed.

She was a hero serving her country's interest in every since of the word. We can honor her sacrifice best by ending the damned war and bringing her husband and all their colleagues home as soon as possible.

[RamboLiberal]

6. Great post Bucky - her parents and her husband can be proud of her

As a female and a Pennsylvanian I too am proud of her.

Ironic - she died the day our media was going ga-ga over Saddam being captured. But unlike Jessica Lynch we'll probably never see the story of Sgt. Voelz on national TV. She'll be noted by her local paper, perhaps her name will be put on a plaque at her high school.

[aquart]

7. The matter of fact courage to defuse a bomb...

Damn right they should be proud of her.

But damn Bush for putting her in harm's way.

May he never sleep.

[Sugarbleus]

8. 'May he never sleep..' X 2

These stories are just unbearable. I realize some people either believe what they are doing is the "right" thing, others have to hold onto that idea for sanity. I honor all our precious military but I want them home forthwith.
I'm hoping Bush never sleeps again.....
IN HELL........

[Lefta Dissenter]

13. Bucky,

thank you for articulating what so many of us feel.

My heart is just broken over this. And how many times a day is this scene repeated, but with Iraqi families, as well? It is so incredibly sad.

[IronLionZion]

15. let it go

don't say a damn thing to them in this situation except "I'm sorry for your loss, etc."

But when an armchair warrior is proudly "supporting the troops" while watching Fox News and stuffing his face with twinkies, GIVE HIM HELL!
Wow,it must take a lot of courage to cheer on death and destruction.

[Valerie5555]

4. Talk about how "war is heck or h - e double high backed chairs"

Wonder if the guy will now be a widower for longer than he was a newlywed (that was if he was also recently married)

[RamboLiberal]

9. Wanted to give this a kick for the day crowd

Yeah, we got Saddam, but is that bastard worth all the lost husbands & wives, fathers & mothers, sons & daughters, brothers & sisters, and friends. There will be a lot of empty chairs & sadness at the holiday dinners this year and for years to come.

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. *sigh*

Bu$h will get his someday. He really, really will.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. Especially for one of the early casualties

a 19-year-old from Portland, a nice kid who entered the military to earn college money, who was his parents' only child.

The newspaper photo of his parents barely able to walk out of the church behind his coffin was one of the most heartbreaking things I've seen in my life.

My wish for Bush would be to spend the rest of his life in a cell papered with pictures of all the young men and women he sent to die.

[Justice]

12. Amen

To that vision.

[mb7588a]

14. a kick to the top for her. :~(

[creativelcro]

16. This is really sad....

though not that unexpected... I mean, for somebody who diffuses bombs... Wondering if she "liked" that job ?...

[TacticalPeek]

17. Kick, for whom the bell tolls.