A Superior couple is morning the loss of a loved one who gave his life to serve our country.
28-year-old Army Staff Sergeant Jeremy Vrooman was killed by an explosion in Iraq on Tuesday.
Joel Runck tells us how his family is coping with the loss.

"Kids are not supposed to die before their parents," said Susan Vrooman, Jeremy's stepmother.

On July 15th in Baqubah, Iraq, Army Staff Sergeant, Jeremy Vrooman of Sioux Falls was leading his unit on a mission that required them to secure a hostile area.
During that operation, Vrooman's unit had to search a targeted home.
Jeremy was the first soldier inside.

"It had been booby-trapped. And when he walked in the IED went off," said Susan.

Growing up, Jeremy's family says he considered joining the Armed Forces around the age of 15.
His stepmother says he got into some trouble during his younger years and attended a disciplinary boot camp as a result.

"And he loved it, he loved every second of it and from then on he knew the Army was for him," said Susan

Jeremy enlisted around age 19.
Vrooman's family says his dream was to make a career out of the Armed Services.
But that dream came to a tragic end on Monday.
His father, Bruce remembers hearing the fateful news.

"You cry until the tears run dry and then you cry some more," said Bruce. "One minute you can be thinking of something that was a good time and then you cry because you know they're gone."

Vrooman leaves behind his wife Latrecia, his son Xavier, and his daughter Jade.
Susan says she vividly remembers the last time she spoke with her stepson.

"Jeremy and I had a special bond and we always ended our phone conversations with I love you and I will always treasure that," said Susan.

The family says the received a phone call from one of Jeremy's commanding officers this afternoon saying he had saved the lives of two of his comrades on Monday's mission.