Marine Staff Sgt. Christopher J. Antonik

Died July 11, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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29, of Crystal Lake, Ill.; assigned to 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died July 11 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

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Staff sergeant had grown up hoping to be a Marine

The Associated Press

Christopher Antonik decided early that, like his adoptive father, John, he’d be in the military. He collected a container full of G.I. Joe figures — his reward for good soccer games — and informed his dad when he was 10 or so that he planned to become a Marine. He followed through on the goal a decade later.

“Our team motto is ‘All it takes is all you got,’ and that’s how Chris lived his life,” said Staff Sgt. Robert Hilton, who served with Antonik.

“If I had a dollar every time Chris asked me, ‘Do you need some help?’ I’d be a millionaire now,” he said.

Antonik, 29, of Crystal Lake, Ill., died July 11 after an attack in Helmand province.

He graduated from Prairie Ridge High School in 2000, joined the Marines the next year and became a reconnaissance man. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton and previously deployed to Iraq.

He liked Halloween and Christmas, a good Coors Light and watching the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team, but his real love was his childhood sweetheart, Erin, whom he married in December.

He was also survived by his mother, Cindy; sister, Jennifer; and his dog, Chase.