AURORA - Marine Lance Cpl. Mark Eugene Engel, 21, died in a San Antonio,
Texas hospital burn unit Wednesday morning. He was injured when an incendiary
bomb went off under his truck in Iraq. It was his second deployment to that
country. In 2003, he was part of the invasion of Iraq.

Engel would have been 22 years old July 22. "He was burned over 70 percent of
his body. He had severe lung damage and kidney failure," said his father
Bill. The family was notified of their son's injuries and was flown to Germany.
Mark Engel's injuries were so serious that he was then flown to the burn unit at
a hospital in San Antonio.

"He fought a valiant fight for two weeks," his father added. His sister,
Dana, said the family is "not doing well. But we're a strong family. God gives us
strength." She says the way people can help the most is to "just let us know
if you knew Mark."

"People have just been trying to do whatever they can and we so much
appreciate it," she said.

Mark Engel went to Cherry Hills Village Elementary School, West Middle School
and Cherry Creek High School where he graduated in 2001. He played football,
rugby, was a skier and snow boarder and very active in outdoor activities. He
was a "free spirit" says his sister Dana. "He knew himself well enough to
follow his own mind."

Engel joined the Marines his first year out of high school.

He is survived by his father Bill, his mother Sharon, and four brothers and
sisters; Dana, Rachael, Eric and Brad.

Funeral services are scheduled for Monday, July 26 at Noon at the Temple
Sinai at 3509 South Glencoe in Denver.