Army Medic From Salem Killed In Afghanistan

An Army medic and former Boy Scout from Salem killed in Afghanistan is being remembered for his friendly demeanor and for being a champion of the underdog.

Sgt. James Ayube Jr., who was 25, died at the hands of a suicide bomber Wednesday while on a combat mission. Ayube, a 2003 graduate of Salem High School, was assigned to Company H, 2nd Stryker, Cavalry Regiment, Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany.

Ayube's mother, Christina, said he was a loving person, "Somebody who loved to fix everything. Anybody who had a problem, he loved to fix it."

He leaves behind his wife, his parents, a brother and a sister.