U.S. Marine From Waseca, Minn. Dies In Afghanistan

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A U.S. marine from Minnesota has died while serving in Afghanistan.

Lance Cpl. Caleb Erickson died Friday when a suicide bomber hit his convoy. The 20-year-old grew up in Waseca.

Erickson's sister, Rue Erickson, shared what her family has been told about the attack in an email.

She said he was in the last vehicle of a convoy and stationed in the gunner's turret. A suicide bomber hit another vehicle, but Erickson was knocked unconscious. He was airlifted to a medical facility but died from his injuries.

"His brain trauma was so severe that it shut down the rest of his body," she said, via email.

Erickson graduated from Waseca High School in 2012 where he was involved in football and wrestling.

Erickson's sister said he was still very close to his high school friends. Family was also very important to him.

"Caleb was known to always have a huge smile on his face and he could brighten anyone's moods," she said.

Those who knew him best knew of his love of country and that he always wanted to join the Marines. He enlisted shortly after he graduated high school.

He was deployed to Afghanistan in September of last year. Erickson was set to return home in two months.

According to Erickson's sister, three other marines were also in the convoy but did not have life-threatening injuries.