Sgt. Eugene Williams, killed in a suicide car bomb attack north of Najaf.

In a written statement released yesterday to the media, Brandy Williams, a 25-year-old Waipahu woman said: "Eugene died for his country and when our children grow up, I will be sure to tell them how proud we all are of their daddy and that he may not be here with us but that he will always remain in our hearts. His family and I are very proud of the sacrifice he made. He is our hero."

Eugene Williams, 24, of Highland, N.Y., died Saturday when a suicide bomber posing as a taxi driver pulled up close to a roadblock north of Najaf and waved to the troops for help. He was one of four U.S. soldiers who died; the others were Cpl. Michael E. Curtin, 23, of Howell, N.J., and Pfcs. Diego Fernando Rincon, 19, of Conyers, Ga., and Michael Russell Creighton Weldon, 20, of Palm Bay, Fla.

Brandy Williams, along with her 3-year-old daughter Mya, is living with her parents in Waipahu. She is pregnant and expecting the couple's second child in June. [...]

Eugene Williams' sister, Lori Ackert, who lives in upstate New York, said that the family was struggling with the loss.

"My mom took it pretty hard," Ackert said. "My dad took it pretty hard. We just buried my uncle on Saturday and Sunday morning we got the phone call from Brandy."

"My mom went a little crazy," Ackert said. "She lost her voice, but now she is OK. Me, I'm trying to stay strong for everyone."