Fellow soldiers, friends and family are remembering 18-year-old Matthew Roecker.
Roecker, of Poland, Ind., was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Bloomington Jan. 16. He was deployed to Bloomington as part of the Indiana National Guard’s work on COVID-19 relief.
“Specialist Roecker was on orders to help at long term care facilities, with daily administration, checking people in, doing temperature checks,” said Sergeant 1st Class Jacob Cash, who is working casualty assistance for Roecker's family.
Soldiers have been helping out at prisons and foodbanks during the pandemic.
Roecker would have turned 19 in February; he joined the National Guard while still in high school.
“His mom told the story of how he came home from school with a form for her to sign. He said mom you have to sign this form so I can join the military next week,” Cash said, adding that Roecker spent the day before he died with his younger brother.
“He took him shopping, and stayed the night at the hotel with him, they had a little bro night,” Cash said.
Chaplains are being made available to Roecker’s fellow soldiers who are grieving. A Gofundme account has been set up in Roecker's name to help pay for his final expenses.
Bloomington Police arrested and charged an Illinois man in Roecker’s death.
