Spc. Benjamin Michael Vasquez

SPC Benjamin Michael Vasquez, 24, was taken from us far too soon after a tragic car accident that took place in Charlotte, North Carolina on the night of August 30th, 2019.
A brave soldier, loving son and brother, and amazing friend, he is survived by his father, Juan Carlos Vasquez, mother, Neiffe Vasquez, and two older sisters, Adriana and Alexa Vasquez, and countless valued family members and close friends.
Benjamin was born in Greensboro, North Carolina on December 18th, 1994. He was greeted by adoring, albeit exhausted, parents after what can truly be described as a (long) labor of love.
Having grown up in Greensboro, NC, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Monterrey, Mexico, Benjamin loved exploring interesting places, and meeting new people, and he especially loved making them laugh. Naturally, this joy of his continued on in the mountains of Boone, North Carolina where he enrolled in the Army ROTC program at Appalachian State University. It was here that he pursued his love of Christ, and doubled down on one day fulfilling his dream of serving the nation as a soldier.
Benjamin found his calling sooner than most. He completed basic training in Ft. Benning, Georgia, where he was recognized for lifting the morale of those around him through scripture, and overall community building. After excelling during AIT under the CBRN specialty at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, Benjamin received his orders to move to his permanent duty station in Ft. Bliss, Texas. From Ft. Bliss, he embarked on his first deployment to Abu Dhabi on October 15th, 2018. Though he faced many challenges, you could always expect love and optimism from him in the forms of random FaceTime calls wearing animal masks, flossing videos on Snapchat, and his never-ending arsenal of jokes.
He returned home to Ft. Bliss on July 26th, 2019. On well-earned leave time, Benjamin surprised his mother in Charlotte on August 7th in the most heartwarming video you’ll ever see. Benjamin spent his last three weeks doing, and eating, the things he loved best, with the people who also love him. From trips down to Holden Beach, NC with good friends, family pontoon fun on Lake Norman, to put-put and laser tag competitions, he appreciated life to the fullest.
Benjamin was selfless until the very end. In the seconds before the ill-fated collision, he positioned himself to try to shield his two friends beside him.
Funeral services for SFC. Benjamin Vasquez will be 6:00 pm Saturday, September 14, 2019 in the Chapel of A.S. Turner and Sons Funeral Home in Decatur, Ga. The family will receive friends Saturday from 9:00 am until the time of the service.
We should all aspire to be like Benjamin, a hero through and through.