Army Capt. Darrell C. Lewis

Died June 23, 2007 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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31, of Washington, D.C.; assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died June 23 in Vashir City, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his unit was attacked by insurgents using rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and small-arms fire.

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D.C. soldier killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

Army Capt. Darrell C. Lewis was raised in an area known for drugs and violence. But his family described him as a natural leader who used an inquisitive mind to chase his dreams.

He showed no fear when walking down dangerous streets, and from an early age he rode buses across town to schools outside the neighborhood.

“He knew there was more to life,” said Trina Lewis, a cousin.

Lewis, 31, of Washington, D.C., died June 23 in Vashir City, Afghanistan, after his unit came under attack. He was assigned to Fort Riley, Kan.

“You can’t express it in words it was in his face,” said his mother, Hannah Lewis. “Being in the military was the happiest I’ve ever seen my child.”

At Wittenberg University, Lewis learned Japanese and Chinese.

After joining the Army, he served in Georgia and Washington state, then completed a two-year tour in South Korea.

Hannah Lewis recalled embracing her son for what would be the last time at his wedding reception in San Antonio in December. “I knew he was going away, and I just remembered the hug,” she said.

He also is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and infant son, Rashawn. Lewis also had a 7-year-old daughter, Taylor.