Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher P.J. Levy

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher P.J. Levy, 21, of Ramseur, N.C.

LCpl Levy was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Dec. 10, 2011 of wounds sustained Dec. 7 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Lcpl Levy was shot in the head by a sniper while conducting an unpartnered patrol in the Kajaji district in Afghanistan. After being stabilized by emergency neurosurgery in Kandahar, he was transported to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany where his parents later made the difficult decision to take their son off life support.

Family pastor, Rev. Michael Barret said the attack happened in a region that has not been known for heavy combat. He said Levy was wearing a new protective helmet and goggles when he was shot.

Lcpl Levy, known as Jacob to his family and friends, is the oldest of three boys. He graduated from Eastern Randolph High School in 2009, where he ran cross-country for three years and was on the wrestling team for one year. He was an ROTC student from seventh through 12th grades.

Principal Stephanie Bridges said the marine was a popular student and well-liked.

Lcpl Levy joined the Marines in 2009, shortly after graduation. This was his second deployment, which he volunteered for. He served an infantry rifleman and machine gunner.

One of his former classmates described him as "everything you think of when you think of a Marine."

Lcpl Levy is a member of the Lumbee tribe of American Indians and was active in the Guilford Native American Association. He also participated in the Guilford One Spirit Native American dance group.

Levy's cousin, Tabitha Polanco, said Levy was proud of his Lumbee Indian heritage and had a fighter's spirit from birth.

"He was born a warrior," Polanco said. "He fought with his mom for about 36 hours while she was in labor. And he came out fighting and continued to do so. He was always a protector."

Characteristic of his spirit and reputation, Polanco says Levy earned the highest possible honor for a Native American: the Eagle Feather.

Father, Chris Levy said of his son, "He was a marine on Earth protecting our borders, and now he's a marine at the gates of Heaven. He knew the first time he went he could lose his life. He knew when he signed up that he could lose his life. And that didn't stop him."......

"I got to lay my hand on his chest, and I got to feel his heart beat," Chris said.

Even though Jacob physically didn't pull through, his father said Jacob's spirit will go on not only in his own heart but also, quite literally, in someone else's.

Lcpl Levy's parents honored their son's wishes to be an organ donor, "allowing his life and energy to rise as a Phoenix from the ashes to bring healing and remove pain from other suffering lives."

Lcpl Levy is survived by his mother, Amanda; father, Chris; siblings, Thunder, Payne, Elijah, Amanda, Joshua and Jade; paternal grandparents, Floyd Levy and Carol and Tony Goss; maternal grandparents, Gearlene and Harda Callicut and Nancy Sheek.

Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher P.J. Levy was killed in action on 12/10/11.