Family and friends say goodbye to Sergeant First Class Daniel Metcalfe

Posted at: 10/04/2012 6:42 AM | Updated at: 10/04/2012 6:00 PM
By: Joangel Concepcion | WHEC.com

A fallen soldier is remembered by friends, family and the Penfield community Thursday.

Almost two hundred people came to a memorial service to support the grieving family of Sergeant Daniel Metcalfe, who was killed in action on Saturday. Military officials say he died of injuries when enemy forces attacked his unit. Sergeant Metcalfe leaves behind a wife and three young children.

Sergeant Metcalfe was based in Vicenza, Italy and he was deployed several times throughout his career. He was only 29 years old.

Even though his body is in route to Arlington National Cemetery, his spirit was very much alive in Penfield Thursday as friends and family gathered to say good bye. 

Brittany Stewart, Sgt. Daniel Metcalfe’s cousin, said, “You know it's just hard when you lose someone especially a family member.”

To the community, he is a hero, an 11 year Army veteran who fought for our freedom.  But for the Metcalfe family, he was a son, a husband and a father.

Stewart said, “We all love him very much he's going to be missed like crazy.”

Stewart says her family was torn apart when they heard her cousin, Sergeant Daniel Metcalfe, wouldn’t be returning home. He was killed in Afghanistan last Saturday in what is being described as an ambush.

He leaves behind a wife and three children. The children are too young to understand they will have to grow up without their dad.

The tragic news has affected this entire community. The love and support extends beyond his tight knit family.

Bob Green said, “It does become an emotional time because when your own family is involved and when you come to a situation like this it becomes very emotional for not just family but for the whole community.”

It's a loss the family will probably never get over, but they say Sgt. Metcalfe is leaving behind a lasting legacy.

Stewart, “It takes a lot of courage and someone really brave to go overseas and fight for our country. For him to give his life up for that it just means a lot to everyone.”

 

Governor Cuomo has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on this Tuesday October 9.  He released this statement, "On behalf of all New Yorkers, I extend my sympathy and condolences to the family, friends and fellow soldiers of Sgt. 1st Class Metcalfe. We will honor this soldier's service and be grateful for his dedication to our country.”

 

 

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