Reported by: Jenell Walton/ AP
Web produced by: Candice Terrell
Photographed by: 9News
First posted: 9/11/2006 4:52:54 PM
Last Updated: 9/12/2006 12:44:00 AM
The Tri-state has lost another soldier to the war in Iraq.
Tony Seig, 19, was killed Saturday.
His family said the Sunman, Indiana soldier was involved in a combat mission at the time of his death.
Private First Class Tony Seig was part of the Army's 519th Military Police Battalion and the 118th Military Police Airborne Company.
His family said the 2005 East Central High School graduate loved a lot of things about life, including football and his country.
Tony Seig would have turned 20 next week on September 18.
His mother, Linda Seig, says her son had been in the Army for about a year and served two months in Iraq as a military police officer.
Seig was the 64th person from Indiana to have died after being sent to the Mideast since the buildup for the invasion of Iraq began in 2003.
His mother said she knew her son was gone when she opened the front door Sunday morning.
"There were two soldiers standing there," said his mother. "I knew what it was before they even told me."
Mrs. Seig lost her husband Ronnie nearly three years ago.
Her son's death just adds to her already unbearable pain.
Seig said she is comforted somewhat by what her son told her and his two sisters before he joined the Army.
"He said he wanted to be one of the good guys. It was important for him to be on the right side," said Seig.
Tony's aunt, Vicki Jenkins said, "I think we all need to remember why they're over there fighting for us and not take our freedoms for granted. And remember what they're doing and this is the price they're going to pay to protect us."
Feeling helpless, Donna Metzner, a neighbor of the Seig's, does what she can to console the family, decorating her front porch in red, white and blue.
"I have a son that's in the military too," said Metzner. "And he's been to Iraq and back and he's going back in February."
"And she and I have talked about it many, many times about how our kids really feel about what they're doing needs to be done, need to fight terrorism," Metzner said.
"Tony's mother says she had won a flag pole several years ago, but kept it in the family's barn because she didn't know what to do with it," said Metzner. "But now she knows exactly what it was meant for, to honor Tony's memory."
"We're going to have a flag raising tonight to honor him and fly it half staff and it will stay there forever to mark the day for all kids, something to remember Tony by," she said.
Tony's mother said her son was very frustrated the last time she talked to him, but he didn't want to tell her what was bothering him.
His alma mater is planning to honor him during Friday night's football game at East Central in St. Leon, Indiana.
Seig's family said they planned to have his body cremated and his ashes spread around the rural home where he grew up, about 30 miles west of Cincinnati.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
