Saturday, July 23, 2005
He is survived by a pregnant wife and two-year-old daughter.
SPRINGDALE, Ohio (AP) -- If Army Pfc. Tim Hines Jr. could have held on for another few weeks, he would have been able see his second child.
The 21-year-old from Fairfield died last week at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington after battling injuries he received in a bomb explosion in Baghdad for almost a month.
More than 400 family members and friends gathered for his funeral Friday in this Cincinnati suburb. They watched a slide show of his life from childhood to high school to his wedding.
Hines met his wife, Katy, at Cincinnati Christian School.
They had a 2-year-old daughter, Lily, and Katy expects to give birth to their second child in about two weeks.
Dedicated fighter
"Tim was a fighter. He fought hard for his country, family and ultimately, his life. He was a loyal husband and father and an incredible American," a tearful Katy Hines said at the funeral. "There is a price for freedom and Tim paid the ultimate price. Now he is in the loving arms of God."
Family members said Hines was the gunner on a humvee in a convoy when a bomb detonated on a Baghdad highway on Father's Day. He suffered kidney and tissue damage and internal bleeding, and his right leg was amputated in a Baghdad hospital. He was having emergency surgery when he died.
"Tim understood the importance of sacrifice," said Jay Madigan, pastor of St. Paul Crossroads New Hope Church of Eaton.
Hines' flag-draped coffin was illuminated by a spotlight during the funeral.
Army Brig. Gen. Patrick O'Reilly presented Hines' mother a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and the Good Conduct Medal. Family members also received a visit from President Bush at the medical center earlier this month.
Hines was buried at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati with full military honors.
An anonymous donor gave Cincinnati Christian $130,000 to cover tuition for Hines' two children recently.