In the aftermath of the Sept.11 attacks, Jair de Jesus Garcia made a life changing decision: He was going to join the army. He began to serve in 2007. He went to Afghanistan in June 2008 in what would be his first and final tour of duty.
"I had a bad feeling. I had a really bad feeling," said Garcia's father, Jacob Avneri. "I know what it is. I've been involved in three wars myself."
Less than two months after starting his duty in Afghanistan, 29-year-old Garcia, a private with the 1st Infantry Division in Fort Hood, Texas, was one of four soldiers killed when their vehicle struck a road side bomb in Kunar Province.
"My heart told me that I was not going to see him again. There's a thing inside a mother that you can feel it," said Maria Avneri.
Three days after receiving the news, Garcia's mother opened an email from her son that was written only hours before his death.
"It says, 'Because this conflict is just and right, I have no doubt we will prevail, so don't worry about me. I'm on the side of angels,'" Maria Avneri said.
Inside their Porter Ranch home is a shrine in honor of their son. Private Garcia is buried in Riverside National Cemetery. His parents paid him a visit to bring him the news that Bin Laden was dead.
"He told me before he left, 'Mom don't worry. I tell you we're going to get him...believe me we're going to have his head.' So I was thinking about that, and I said, 'Jair, you were right,'" said Maria Avneri.
But it's a victory that is bitter sweet.
"Inside of me, I go, 'Why didn't [Bin Laden] die before?' Maybe if he had died, my son wouldn't be gone," said Maria Avneri.
