Death of airman's wife
saddens Aviano communityBy Gary J. Kunich
Aviano bureau
To help the
Vega family ...A memorial
fund has been established to help the Vega family pay for funeral costs and other
expenses. Donations can be made to any Aviano first sergeant or the Global Credit Union.
Those outside Italy can contribute
by mailing checks to:
Global Credit Union
P.O. Box 3000
APO AE 09601
Checks should be made out to
Francisco Vega with a note that the donation is to go to the Vega Memorial Fund. |
AVIANO AIR
BASE, Italy — The 22-year-old wife of an Aviano airman died Sunday due to
complications from childbirth, Air Force officials confirmed Wednesday.
Samantha
Vega, wife of Senior Airman Francisco Vega, a 31st Security Forces Squadron investigator,
died at a hospital in Hillside, N.J., where she gave birth Jan. 28 to her son, Javier, who
still is hospitalized and in fair condition.
The couple
was in New Jersey, where Samantha is from, because of the pregnancy complications.
"I ask
for everyone not to be sad for my wife, but to pray for her," Vega said in a
statement through his unit first sergeant.
Javier was
born about two months premature and Samantha Vega spent about six days in the hospital
after his birth because of complications.
"She
was released, but she and her husband spent every day at the hospital with the baby,"
said Senior Master Sgt. Guillermo Sotomayer, Vega's first sergeant. "She went back to
the emergency room Sunday because she wasn’t feeling well."
Aviano
officials said she died from complications due to the birth, but didn’t know the
nature of her illness.
A memorial
service at Aviano is planned for 4 p.m. March 2 at the base chapel.
"This
is just hitting the squadron very hard because he was so involved in the community and
everyone knew him," Sotomayer said. "We know he has some expenses coming his way
and we’re trying to help him out so he doesn’t have come back here. We’re
going to pack up his household goods. We’re going to take care of his pets and make
sure they get back to him. We’re going to do everything we can."
Because
Vega has family in New York, he’ll be reassigned to McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
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