LAS VEGAS (AP) - At 32, former Philippine Olympic boxer Emmanuel “Manny” Legaspi was older than the typical recruit when he signed up for the United States Army in 2000. He had lived in the United States for only a year, but wanted a chance to show he appreciated living in America, his wife said. "He didn't want anyone to question his patriotism," Shona Legaspi, said before a Thursday memorial service for her husband, who was shot and killed in combat on May 7 in Tal Afar, Iraq. Staff Sgt. Legaspi, 38, left behind his wife and a 6-month-old daughter.The Legaspis moved from the Philippines to Las Vegas in 1999 to join Manny Legaspi's mother, Victoria. Manny Legaspi worked as a lifeguard and slot machine technician before enlisting and completing a first tour of duty in Iraq.
He returned home, and the Legaspis' daughter, Carmen, was born in November. In January, he was deployed again to Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, based in Friedberg, Germany.
"He was such a unique and special individual, and I'm really glad I got to spend that time with him," Shona Legaspi said. Manny Legaspi lost his first Olympic bout in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. On Thursday, his wife and mother each received Purple Heart and Bronze Star medals posthumously awarded by the U.S. military. His family said he believed in the United States mission in Iraq.