The sister of a North Texas soldier who was killed in Afghanistan last week paid tribute to him on her blog, sharing photos and stories from their childhood.
Army Staff Sgt. Alex Viola, a native of Keller, was killed by a roadside bomb on Nov. 17.
His older sister, Christina Spragins, wrote about their lives on her blog, Operation Home, sharing tales of two inseparable kids born almost exactly three years apart. They grew up with joint birthday parties and were always asked if they were twins.
As they got older, her brother would come to her for help, she wrote.
"And I always knew that a conversation which started with "So, you're a girl, right?" meant he needed girlfriend advice. Which I was happy to give. Not that I'm an expert. But, it was nice to know that he wanted my advice."
Spragins also talked about their testy teen years and how they grew even closer as adults.
"He spent several years in training, so we only got to see him when he was on leave."
After our son Lucas was born, Alex couldn't wait to see him and it just so happened that his leave began two days after Lucas's birth."
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But her favorite was last Christmas.
"The absolute BEST, though, was last year on Christmas Eve. Alex had purchased a Santa suit. And not just any Santa suit. The GOOD Santa suit. He said he wanted it to last for years. He dressed up after Christmas Eve dinner to visit Lucas as Santa. Lucas was terrified, but soon warmed up (sort of) when "Santa" presented him with a shiny green car. It was great. And I loved that Alex wanted to do this for Lucas. What a terrific uncle."
Spragins also talked about the "dark day" when she learned of her brother's death -- a "normal day like any other" until the knock at the door.
"I threw open the door and there before me stood two very tall men in military uniforms . Immediately, my brain started repeating the mantra "Please, just tell me he's hurt. Please, just tell me he's hurt....". But no dice. They'd come to notify me that while on foot patrol earlier that morning, Alex had stepped on an IED (improvised explosive device) and had died at a hospital in Kandahar."
"I immediately lost it, of course. Completely. I mean, how could this happen?? To ALEX?? This can't be real. This can't POSSIBLY be real. But it was."
Spragins said she now has a message for everyone, saying she regrets never telling her brother how amazing he was.
"Go tell your loved ones how you feel about them. NOW. They deserve to hear it. And you never know when your last chance to tell them will be. So, do it now. Never did I think that I'd never get to speak with my brother again. Never in a million years. I took for granted that he'd be home in a few months safe and sound without a second thought. And I was wrong. I was so wrong. And it kills me that I didn't tell him the things I should've."
More: Read Spragins' whole post, "For my brother"
NBC 5's Marc Fein contributed to this report.
