North Fort Myers Sergeant Was A Week From End Of His Final Tour

North Fort Myers Marine was born leader
North Fort Myers sergeant was a week from end of his final tour
By Dave Breitenstein | News Press

Soldiers aren’t made; they’re born.

That was evident when Michael C. Roy was growing up in North Fort Myers.

“He knew he wanted to be in the military since a very early age,” said his father, Sgt. Michael Roy of Punta Gorda. “His older brother was in the Gulf War, in the Army.”

The younger Roy, a 25-year-old Marine, was killed Wednesday by a sniper in Afghanistan, joining more than 5,000 soldiers who have died in the Middle East since 2001. Fifteen of those are from Lee County, including 13 Army veterans and two Marines.

Roy was on his third tour of duty, a week from returning to Camp Lejeune, N.C., for good.

He enlisted Sept. 25, 2001, two weeks after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and often talked about stopping terrorism, al-Qaida and Osama Bin Laden.

“He wanted to protect his country and wanted his children to grow up without war,” said Julie England, a longtime neighbor whose children befriended Roy. England also served as Roy’s home-school teacher for ninth grade. Read more.