The Acadiana soldier killed in Afghanistan last week was laid to final rest.

Funeral services for Sergeant Patrick Williamson were held Friday with hundreds of people lining the streets by Sacred heart Church, to pay their respects.

During the services Williamson's girlfriend, three priests, and his general all made speeches remembering him.

Williamson was killed last Tuesday in Afghanistan's Kandahar province.

He was 24 years old.

 

 

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Even as a Child Patrick Williamson knew he wanted to grow up and be a soldier.

And so he did. But this week Patrick's family in Broussard got the news every service family fears.

"We were sitting down watching TV when two soldiers came to the door" said Max Williamson Patrick's younger brother.

Max Williamson says his family couldn't believe what the soldiers had to say, that Max's older brother 24 year old Sergeant Patrick Williamson was dead.

Williamson was serving with a Striker Brigade belonging to the Army's elite Second Infantry Division when he and several of his comrades were killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan's Kandahar Province.

Patrick's father Buddy says his son died doing what he always wanted do, but it obviously doesn't make his loss any easier to take.

These photos of the Williamson family were taken in June in Seattle just before Patrick shipped out for Afghanistan.

Patrick with his brother his sister and his parents at a Mariners baseball game where they managed to land seats in the 19th row right behind home plate.

Before he shipped out his family gave him a little camera he used to take pictures and email home images of his unit, his job, and the people of Afghanistan.

These were some of the last photos taken of Patrick.  There was no way of knowing then that 20 days later he would lose his life fighting half a world a way for us.

Chuck Huebner