Fallen Story
Despite the fact that he and his dad were already living in a tepee during a summer trip into the woods, Ryan M. Bell still suggested to his father one morning: "Let''s go camping!" "He was a goofy little kid," said his dad, Mike Bell. "My son ended up being a very fine young man." Bell, 21, of Colville, Wash., was killed March 5 by a roadside bomb in Samarra. He was assigned to Fort Bragg. He graduated from Riverside Military Academy with high honors in 2003. He played baseball and football and helped his wrestling team win the state championship. Ryan had dreams of becoming a doctor someday and had planned on attending college through the ROTC program. Before he was deployed to Iraq, he served with his unit in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. "Bell truly is a hero that represents all that is great about America," said his commander, Capt. Eugene Farris. "He will be sorely missed and live forever in our memories." Bell liked the outdoor, singing, dancing and watching sports. "He was a walking sports encyclopedia," his father said. He also is survived by his wife, Terri Bell, and stepchildren, Jason and Tyler.