Navy Chief Petty Officer Christian Michael Pike, 31, died in Landstuhl, Germany on March 13 from injuries he suffered in Afghanistan on March 10, according to the Department of Defense.
Pike was assigned to a West Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit, and the Los Angeles Times reports he deployed to Afghanistan with a Coronado-based Navy SEAL team.
Pike grew up in Peoria, Arizona. His mother, Diana, works for the Fox station in Phoenix and is an Army veteran. She wrote of her beloved son on her Facebook page:
"Christian was so proud to be a Navy Chief with the SW Special Ops group and he was living honorably a life he chose. He wouldn't have it any other way and neither would I."
