Michigan Marine killed overseas days before birth of son - WNEM TV 5

A 23-year-old Marine from Detroit has been killed in Afghanistan.

The Defense Department announced Monday that Pfc. Steven P. Stevens II died Friday while conducting combat operations in Helmand province.

Stevens went to Afghanistan on March 21. Family members say that's about a week before his son was born.

Stevens' 85-year-old grandmother, Dorothy Atkins, tells the Detroit Free Press she's "sorry that he never got a chance to see his son."

His uncle, Dwight Atkins, says Stevens attended Cass Technical High School in Detroit and attended Florida A&M University on a swimming scholarship. Dwight Atkins tells WWJ-AM his nephew "was such a joy to be around."

Stevens was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

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