GAUTIER, BRYCE

Bryce E. Gautier was born on February 12, 1987 and was a resident of Cypress, California where he would go on to become a 2005 graduate of Rancho Alamitos High School in Garden Grove, California.  He was captain on the water polo team in his senior year and according to his yearbook was voted “most dependable” of the senior class and was happy to help whenever needed. A goofy kid growing up, he was calm in emergencies and never paled at the sight of blood. He worked part-time after graduating from Rancho Alamitos High School in Garden Grove in 2005. Bryce wrote on his MySpace page: “I am ready to finally grow up…I need a change, I need some structure,” he wrote. “I want to have my family be proud of me for what and who I am.” He eventually wanted to become a nurse. 

PFC Gautier would go on to fulfill that desire when he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2007 and after successfully completing Boot Camp, he became a Combat Medic. After completing Airborne School in October 2008, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado.  

PFC Gautier was killed in Iraq on 10 April 2009, the anniversary of his father's death, while on patrol in Mosul, Iraq when a suicide bomber crashed an explosives-filled truck into his MRAP vehicle.   

PFC Gautier military awards included the Purple Heart, Bronze Star medal, National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.  

After his death, there was a scholarship was created in his honor to help military medics further their education and pursue careers in medicine. 

Bryce is survived by his mother, Heidi Frankel; his twin sister Courtney; his brother Evan; his sister-in-law, Nicole Gautier; and a close family friend, Karen Cox. 

The Washington State Fallen Heroes Project proudly remembers PFC Bryce Gautier for his service, sacrifice, and commitment to our nation. Our hope is that his life continues to inspire all who learn his story.