NEWBURGH, N.Y -- He gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country and his unit, and that's why people gathered Saturday at Stewart Air National Guard Base to honor fallen soldier Staff Sergeant Todd Lobraico Jr.
"There are people that are here today because of his actions," said Colonel Timothy Labarge, 105th Airlift Wing Commander.
Lobraico, a member of the 105th Airlift Wing, was killed in Sept. 2013 in Parwan Province, Afghanistan. The unit came under attack while on the lookout for insurgents. Lobraico returned fire so that his team could take cover.
Tech Sergeant Miguel Nin was there that day.
"TJ died a hero that night, because of him I’m here," Nin said. "I'm here to be able to raise my daughter. "
Lobraico was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor. Lieutenant Colonel Linda Rohatsch is his mom.
"It means tons to our family. We've been waiting for this day ever since TJ was killed a year and a half ago and it's finally validation that he did sacrifice his life.”
Nin wants people to not only remember what Lobraico did, but learn from the man he was.
"He didn't worry about the past, he didn't worry about the future, he just worried about today. Just live, have fun, enjoy your life, just do it."
The Bronze Star Medal is the 4th highest military award for an individual and the 9th highest by order of precedence in the U.S. military.