Lance Cpl. Patrick Xavier Jr

 Lance Cpl. Patrick Xavier Jr., 24, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., died May 18 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Lance Cpl. Patrick Xavier Jr. spoke to his mother Tuesday morning before leaving for the day's military assignment, something he often did while serving in Afghanistan. ``He wanted to talk to his family before'' he went, his father, Patrick Xavier-Kemp, said Friday. Hours later, the 24-year-old Marine was killed in a firefight in the Helmand province in southwest Afghanistan, his father said. His body was flown back to Fort Lauderdale on Friday. In his last posting to his MySpace page, Xavier wrote Jan. 4: ``I'm going to Afghanistan in four days. I'm nervous and excited at the same time, but I'm very confident that I'll be back.'' ``He went out there to do what he wanted to do, defending this country,'' his father said. ``Even though I feel the loss, I'm proud of how he conducted himself.'' The young man had ``a child's smile, a smile that you can read his heart through,'' his father said. ``He was a true person, honest, very dedicated.'' An avid reader, he devoured books on psychology and philosophy -- trying to gain a better understanding of the world. A few weeks ago, his father sent him a package with two books: The Art of War and A Soldier's Story. He was a private person, with many of his close friends also in the military, his father said. He also loved playing basketball with his younger brothers, Didi, 22, and Chad, 18. He had a dream of going to medical school. A son of Haitian immigrants, Xavier was born in Queens, N.Y. m

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Marine Saluting Courtesy Sgt Michal S. Williams

His father and mother moved to South Florida more than a decade ago. He graduated from Miramar High School in 2003 and tried a couple of jobs, looking to find his way. His drive to ``make a difference'' led him to the Marines, his father said. He advanced to the rank of lance corporal, his father said. He was based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, according to the Department of Defense. Said his father: ``He knew the consequences. He knew what he was dealing with, and he chose to go anyway.'' Xavier told his father he saw fellow Marines around him getting hurt, but he continued to work hard training Afghan soldiers. ``He had no fear. He was a fierce fighter, a warrior at heart,'' his father said. ``I'm very proud he gave for the country he loved.''

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