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Far Rock man dies in battle

Far Rock man dies in battle
By Ivan Pereira

Army Spc. Roberto Hernandez may have had a deep family history in the military, but according to the Far Rockaway man’s mother, his decision to fight and ultimately die for his country was one of personal honor.

Hernandez, 21, who died June 2 in Afghanistan, always yearned to help his family and friends in anyway possible, his mother, Paulina Richards, said.

“He was interested in joining the military and he liked the idea of service,” she said. “He had no regrets.”

As Hernandez’s family prepared to pay their final respects to him later this week, they reflected on his life of service both at home and in uniform.

Hernandez died in the town of Paktya when his mounted patrol was attacked with an IED and small arms fire, the U.S. Defense Department said. He had been scheduled to return to New York next month, according to Richards.

Although Richards, a former Air Force mechanic, said some of her family members had reservations about joining the Army, she let him enlist to follow his dreams.

“I had no problem. I always supported him in whatever he wanted to do,” she said.

Hernandez’s aunt, Virginia Tomlinson, said the young soldier looked up to his family for inspiration as well. Hernandez’s grandfather served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and immigrated to America from Panama following his service.

His uncles, Ricardo and Alejandro Tomlinson, had also served in the Army, but did not see combat, according to Richards.

“Military was the way we came into this family,” Virginia Tomlinson said.

Hernandez was born in California and moved to live with his mother in Far Rockaway 20 years ago. He attended August Martin High School in Jamaica where he played basketball and bowled and in his senior year he traveled to Australia as part of a student exchange program, according to Richards.

“He loved it,” she said about his time down under. “He loved experiencing the new cultures.”

After graduating from the high school in 2006, Hernandez spent a year at Tuskegee University in Alabama before enlisting in the Army. He shipped out to Afghanistan in April 2008 from Fort Stewart in Georgia.

Hernandez was an adventurous son, according to his mother, and one day hoped to join a law enforcement group such as the Drug Enforcement Agency or the Police Department. In most of the conversations she had with her son while he was deployed, Richards said he would talk about how he was enjoying his service overseas and the experience he was getting.

“He’d talk about the Humvee that he would ride in, the new weapons he got, the new armors he got. He never sounded afraid,” she said.

Richards said her son was also very devoted to his Christian faith. He attended services every week at their church, the Christian Coalition Center in Brooklyn, where his funeral was scheduled for this Friday.

The single mother said she would like the world to remember Hernandez as a brave solider who never forgot his upbringing and family.

“My son was a humble, strong and caring boy. He never did anything bad,” Richards said.

Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e−mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718−229−0300, Ext. 146.