By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - mtrax@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon
ASHTABULA —
A 20-year-old Lakeside High School graduate and Marine died Saturday in Afghanistan from wounds he suffered at the hands of a detained enemy combatant, the U.S. Marine Corps reports.
Lance Cpl. Kevin Cornelius was shot and died in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan, his family confirmed Sunday. He was the son of Ashtabula Police Capt. Gerald Cornelius and Marlene Cornelius and Valerie and Bob Silleck, all of Ashtabula.
Kevin Cornelius “died of wounds he suffered performing combat operations against enemy forces abroad,” the U.S. Marine Corps reports.
Cornelius’ step-brother, Bob Fortune, said representatives from the Marine Corps arrived at his mother’s front door at 9:30 p.m. Saturday to break the news.
“This is just unbelievable,” Fortune said. “We are so sad but so proud at the same time. I just wish he were here so I could show him how much I respect him. There isn’t enough I can say about him and his sacrifice.”
Kevin Cornelius died on his father Gerald Cornelius’ birthday, his step mother, Marlene Cornelius, said.
U.S. Army Second Lt. Eric Cornelius, Kevin Cornelius’ brother, is stationed in Alabama and is on his way to Ashtabula, the family reports.
Funeral arrangements are pending the arrival of Cornelius’ body from Afghanistan, Fortune said.
Jerry Cornelius said his son died doing what he loved for a country he loved.
“(Kevin) was very proud to be a Marine and he never complained, no matter how tough it was. He always said he was exactly where he wanted to be doing exactly what he wanted to do,” he said.
Kevin Cornelius’ favorite quotation, viewed on Facebook, is “The brave may not live forever, but the cowards do not live at all.”
At least 1,109 members of the U.S. military have died in Afghanistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the weekly casualty report by the U.S. Department of Defense.
The count was taken on Thursday.
At least 895 military personnel have died in Afghanistan as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers.
Outside of Afghanistan, the department reports at least 93 more members of the U.S. military died in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Of those, 10 were the result of hostile action.
The Defense Department also counts two military civilian deaths.
Since the start of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, 7,284 U.S. service members have been wounded in hostile action, according to the Defense Department's weekly tally.
