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Plainfield soldier killed in Afghanistan

A 21-year-old Plainfield soldier died in Afghanistan Monday after an insurgent attacked his unit, according to the Department of Defense.

Army Pfc. Andrew Meari was serving his first tour with the Army in Afghanistan when an enemy insurgent on a motorcycle armed with an explosive ended his life in the Zhari district, Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Meari's commanding officer told his family that he and a soldier from Massachusets, Jonathan Curtis, died heroic deaths by saving the rest of their unit from the attack, said Meari's uncle and godfather, Todd Williams.

“He and Curtis saved the rest of his platoon,” Williams said. “Others were injured, but they think everyone else will pull through.”

Meari was born in Chicago but spent most of his life in Plainfield, Williams said. He attended Plainfield South for most of high school and later graduated from a high school in Wisconsin.

Williams said the last time the family had seen Meari was in August, when he was home on leave.

“We all got to get together with him and have some fun,” Williams said. “He visited his family and friends. It was great to see him again.”

He was an infantryman based out of Fort Campbell, Ky., assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. He joined the Army in October 2008.

Meari is remembered as an energetic jokester who loved being a soldier, Williams said.

“We are proud of him and proud of what he did,” Williams said. “We miss him terribly and we are comforted by the fact that he died a hero. He died serving his country.”

Williams said Meari was very close with his stepbrothers and had kept in touch with them from Afghanistan through Facebook and other technology.

“They are hurting. They are devastated,” Williams said. “They are proud of him and of the fact that he is a soldier.”

Meari is survived by his mother, Denise Meehan, and his father, Mahmoud Meari.

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