The sister of a Valley Marine killed in combat shares stories about her brother. Twenty six year old Sergeant Matthew Abbate died Thursday from a wound while serving a tour in Afghanistan.
Abbate spent a few years of his high school life at Buchanan High School. For this campus the tragic legacy continues.He is the eighth former Buchanan student to die in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars in the last six years. 17 year old Valerie Binion allowed us to get to know her older brother Sergeant Matthew Abbate a little better.
Binon says, “He was the kind of guy who would do something terrible, so you wouldn't have to do it.” The 26-year old was in his fourth year as a marine and it was his third tour of duty in the Middle East. A few weeks ago he had a brush with death when he stumbled upon a roadside bomb. Binion says, “It didn't explode all the way. He got a leg slice. It wasn't too serious. He got fixed him up and was back on the field the next day.”
Family friend Lisa Boyles says it was just like Matthew not to take a break. “He loved being a soldier. He was good at it. Confident about it.”
Matthew's death was fresh in the minds of some fans at Friday night’s Clovis and Clovis West football game was played at Veteran's Memorial Stadium. Irene Ramirez thinks she's figured out why so many servicemen from Clovis are killed in the line of duty. “To me it says they've stood up for their country. I'm proud that they chose to serve. I'm sad for the families though.”
Abbate leaves behind a wife and two-year old son.
Family members left for Deleware Friday night to begin the process of escorting his body home. Binion thinks of what a great person the community and the world for that matter has lost.
“He was a leader, one of those silent leaders that don’t make you want to follow them, but you will end up following him.”
There is a memorial here at Buchanan High devoted to the seven other soldiers who died.
Abbate's name will most likely be added.
