Army Sergeant Rudy Rodriguez leaves behind a wife and two children.
The 26-year-old was killed in Afghanistan Wednesday during his fourth tour in the Middle East.
"I can't really give you words to express how good of a guy he was,” said A.J. Vasquez, Rodriguez’s cousin.
The thought of Rodriguez's children, a four-year-old and seven year old, made it difficult for Vasquez to speak.
"Growing up without a father is a hard thing to do,” said Vasquez. “I just feel for his children, and I know that one day they'll feel better, but it'll be a while, because he was a great father."
Vasquez said family is traveling to the Rio Grande Valley for Rodriguez's funeral.
Rodriguez's wife will meet her husband's body at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware Friday.
Meanwhile, mourning continues in the Rio Grande Valley, especially at Templo Eben Ezer, a church where Rodriguez was said to have attended since he was a little boy.
"He went to Sunday school here and attended Royal Rangers which is basically like the boy scouts with a faith curriculum,” said youth pastor Chali Martinez.
Martinez said he saw Rodriguez grow up at the church.
He said Rodriguez even met his wife there.
"He was a people person, a serviceable kind of guy,” said Martinez. “Behind the scenes he would do the jobs nobody wanted to do.”
"We're going to miss him,” said Vasquez. “He was a great asset to our family. His mentality was ‘I want to fight for my country.’ That's what he went in to do, and he went out doing it."
Family told Action 4 News their intention is to bring Rodriguez’s body back home.
They said they hope to hold funeral services at Guerra Funeral Home in Weslaco.
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