Friends, Family Say Goodbye To Fallen Fall River Guardsman

A funeral service has been held in Fall River for a Massachusetts National Guard soldier who died while serving in Afghanistan.

The military says Pvt. 1st Class Ethan Goncalo died as a result of non-combat related injuries on Dec. 11 in Kabul. The exact circumstances have not been disclosed.

The 21-year-old was the fourth Fall River soldier to die in service this year, and the third soldier from Massachusetts to die in Afghanistan in the last three weeks.

During Thursday's funeral service at Holy Rosary Church, the Rev. Mark Hessian said Goncalo loved everything about his country and was committed to serving it.

Goncalo was a 2008 graduate of Durfee High School. He was a member of the 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment in Worcester.