Tuesday, December 4th 2018, 6:14 pm
The family of a Muskogee Army Sergeant says they have more question than answers about how he died at Fort Bliss last month.
Sergeant Ryan Hogan was 27.
Sergeant Hogan's family hopes to get some more answers at a memorial service on the base next week. They are grieving and not knowing what happened makes that even worse. The last time his mother spoke with him, Sgt Ryan Hogan was looking ahead.
"Coming home for Thanksgiving and spending time with us and the boys," said Jeanette Hogan.
Instead, at Thanksgiving his parents were planning his funeral. The day after, his body was flown back to Oklahoma. This ceremony happened during the transfer from Ft Bliss, in El Paso Texas. The Patriot Guard Riders saluted as he came home for a funeral in Muskogee.
“We don't know what happened. We just got the call,” said Jeanette.
Ryan was planning to be a career military man. His father served in the 80's. They thought when Ryan was injured in training, he was safe from the wars overseas.
“You think he's safer. You know when he's classified non-deployable a big weight was lifted. I didn't have to worry about that part anymore,” Ryan’s father Billy Hogan
The Hogans have the flowers from his funeral and the flag from the casket. They have memories of him and hope to learn more about their son's final days at a memorial service at Ft Bliss next week. They're hoping to build long term relationships with Ryan's unit.
“Moving on with their lives and seeing them succeed would mean a great lot to us,” said Jeanette.
It's important to the family that people know their son's heart.
“He loved his country and he loved his family. And he was doing what he thought was right for America,” said Billy Hogan.
Friends of the family are raising money to help with family expenses and support for his two young sons, 3 and 5 years old.
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