thedrifter
07-21-08, 06:45 AM
July 21, 2008
Marine's mother left stunned by his death
By BRIDGET SMITH
Courier-Post Staff
When 1st Lt. Jason Mann joined the Marines 11 years ago, his mom, Alfina, was nervous.
It was what he wanted, though, and she decided she had to let go.
"Jason wanted to make something of himself, and he felt becoming a Marine was the ultimate thing he could do," Alfina Mann recalled Sunday inside her Elm Avenue home.
Then, last week, Mann got the news she'd dreaded for more than a decade: The 6-foot-tall, blue-eyed husband, son and father with the infectious smile was killed while serving in Afghanistan.
Mann said she was stunned when two Marines arrived at her home to notify her early Thursday morning.
"I just started to shake. All I could say was, "Not my Jason,' " Mann said, running her fingers over several snapshots of Lt. Mann, his wife, Shannon Mann, and the couple's 2-year-old daughter, Isabella.
William Mann, Jason's brother, said the 29-year-old died when the roof of a building collapsed on him in Helmand province. Mann said engineers were working on the roof at the time of the collapse and may have been unaware that his brother was inside.
Lt. Mann -- described as a shy, chubby high schooler -- found himself in the military, his brother said.
"It was a complete transformation," William Mann, himself an Iraq veteran, said.
This was Mann's second deployment overseas in the past two years. He served in Iraq from September 2006 to May 2007. He left for Afghanistan in March and was due home in the fall.
Family members last spoke with Mann on July 6. Alfina Mann said every conversation she had with her son ended the same way: "Please son, I love you so much. Please be safe."
Mann is also survived by his father, Orville; a sister, Jennifer Cleaver; and three stepsiblings.
Burial is set for Friday at Quantico National Cemetery in Virginia. Mann's family hopes to hold a local memorial service in the coming weeks.
Reach Bridget Smith at (856) 486-2473 or brksmith@camden.gannett.com
Ellie
Marine's mother left stunned by his death
By BRIDGET SMITH
Courier-Post Staff
When 1st Lt. Jason Mann joined the Marines 11 years ago, his mom, Alfina, was nervous.
It was what he wanted, though, and she decided she had to let go.
"Jason wanted to make something of himself, and he felt becoming a Marine was the ultimate thing he could do," Alfina Mann recalled Sunday inside her Elm Avenue home.
Then, last week, Mann got the news she'd dreaded for more than a decade: The 6-foot-tall, blue-eyed husband, son and father with the infectious smile was killed while serving in Afghanistan.
Mann said she was stunned when two Marines arrived at her home to notify her early Thursday morning.
"I just started to shake. All I could say was, "Not my Jason,' " Mann said, running her fingers over several snapshots of Lt. Mann, his wife, Shannon Mann, and the couple's 2-year-old daughter, Isabella.
William Mann, Jason's brother, said the 29-year-old died when the roof of a building collapsed on him in Helmand province. Mann said engineers were working on the roof at the time of the collapse and may have been unaware that his brother was inside.
Lt. Mann -- described as a shy, chubby high schooler -- found himself in the military, his brother said.
"It was a complete transformation," William Mann, himself an Iraq veteran, said.
This was Mann's second deployment overseas in the past two years. He served in Iraq from September 2006 to May 2007. He left for Afghanistan in March and was due home in the fall.
Family members last spoke with Mann on July 6. Alfina Mann said every conversation she had with her son ended the same way: "Please son, I love you so much. Please be safe."
Mann is also survived by his father, Orville; a sister, Jennifer Cleaver; and three stepsiblings.
Burial is set for Friday at Quantico National Cemetery in Virginia. Mann's family hopes to hold a local memorial service in the coming weeks.
Reach Bridget Smith at (856) 486-2473 or brksmith@camden.gannett.com
Ellie