U.S. Marine Died from Heart Attack in Baghdad -- Then Mom Had Heart Attack When She Heard News

[babylonsister]

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003664265

Paper Reveals: U.S. Marine Died from Heart Attack in Baghdad -- Then Mom Had Heart Attack When She Heard News

By E&P Staff

Published: October 26, 2007 4:15 PM ET

NEW YORK As E&P has often chronicled in the past year, the toll of noncombat deaths among U.S. troops in Iraq continues to climb (in fact, it has surged lately), not well over 700 of the total of almost 4000. The Pentagon rarely releases any details about them beyond saying they are "under investigation." But local papers, after interviewing friends of families, sometime provide information on an accident, illness, friendly fire, or suicide.

It happened again this week, after the death of Cpl. Erik T. Garoutte, 22, of Santee, Ca. He was a Marine who died one week ago at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune he "was exercising when he collapsed. He never regained consciousness."

More tragedy followed: "His mother, Donna Stone of Santee, had a heart attack after hearing about his death. 'The doctor said that literally a piece of her heart died with him,' said Jeff Stine, a family friend and associate pastor at Zion Christian Fellowship in Spring Valley."

Garoutte was assigned to the 1st Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team Company, Marine Corps Security Force Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force in Norfolk, Va.

The Union-Tribune related that "the family hopes an autopsy will explain what caused Garoutte to die."

[aquart]

1. Something genetic, maybe?

Any chance it was something that should have prevented him from serving overseas?

[babylonsister]

2. Makes me wonder, too. So much for the physical he got, though I'm

no doc.