WTOL.COM -- TOLEDO -- Deborah Cieslack found out on Mother's Day that a homemade bomb had killed her son in Iraq. Sergeant Gary "Andy" Eckert was on a mission to recover a vehicle that had been damaged in an earlier raid when he was killed. The incident is under investigation by the Army.
 Eckert's death was confirmed Monday by the 983rd Engineering Battalion from Springfield Township. Tuesday morning, his mother talked to reporters.
"I want to make sure that Myles and Marlee always know that their dad, as far as I'm concerned, is the greatest person," said Cieslack, fighting back her emotions. "He was the greatest father, and the greatest son. He was awesome."
Andy Eckert came home from Iraq to see the birth of his son, Myles. That day was the last time Cieslack spoke to him. In his first deployment to Iraq, Eckert was wounded by a roadside bomb. His neck and face healed enough for him to go back. Deborah never imagined that this time he would be killed. "It was a nightmare that will never go away but it will not destroy us because I am proud of my son Andy."
Family friend Bret Howard put it this way, "He didn't have to go back, but I think he felt he had to go back because this was his family and this was the people. This is not just two weeks out the summer with this group. This is forever."
In confirming the death on Monday, a military spokesman said the same thing. "He loved his family. Anyone who knew him, knew that," said Bill Geddes, spokesman for the 88th Regional Readiness Command in Minnesota. "He always said he could never love anyone more than his wife, but when little Myles was born six weeks ago, after seeing his son, he knew he could love some one even more."
Eckert's death was part of a bloody and dangerous weekend in Iraq. The military says at least 8 service people were killed in attacks and bombings in Iraq on Saturday and Sunday, and three of them were from Ohio.
Andy Eckert graduated from Anthony Wayne High School in 2000 where he played basketball on the freshmen and sophomore teams. "He really enjoyed basketball when he participated and I think he missed it a little bit when he didn't," said Robert Slykhuis, the Anthony Wayne principal. He studied horticulture at Penta Career Center, and studied history at Owens Community College before going into the Army.
"Andy was the perfect soldier. He did what you asked. He always had a smile on his face. He was never in a bad mood. Always there to help everybody. He got me through some rough days over there," said Sgt. 1st Class Jams Gyori, who was Andy's platoon sergeant for 18 months.
He is survived by his 23-year-old wife Tiffany, his 22-month-old daughter Marlee Freedom Eckert and six-week-old Myles Manning Eckert. He has a large extended family, including foster parents, a brother and four half-sisters. Eckert lived on Douglas Road with his family.
Eckert was one of three Ohioans killed this weekend in Iraq. Marine Cpl. Dustin Derga, 24, of Columbus, died on Sunday when he was caught in enemy small arms fire during combat near Ubaydi, Iraq, according to a Pentagon news release. Derga was assigned to the Marine Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 25th Regiment, 4th Division in Columbus.
Army Pfc. Nick Messmer also died in Iraq on Sunday, said his brother Joe Messmer, 23. The family was notified Sunday. Nick Messmer, 20, joined the Army in August 2003, the summer after he graduated from Gahanna Lincoln High School in suburban Columbus, his brother said. "He was an awesome person. He was the nicest, friendliest, happiest kid you could ever know. He wouldn't hurt a fly. He just went over there to defend his country and the Iraqis got him," Joe Messmer said.
Nick Messmer was scheduled to return home in July for his birthday.
At least 1,600 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to a Department of Defense count. More than 12,000 Americans have been wounded.
Funeral services for Sgt. Andy Eckert will be Monday, May 16th. | 
