Largo Soldier Killed in Afghanistan

A soldier from Largo was killed last week in Afghanistan, according to media reports.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Matt Sitton, 26, died after stepping on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan, according to Bay News 9. Sitton's parents, Cheryl and Steve, were informed of his death Thursday.

"My whole life, every plan that I made, stopped on Aug. 2, 2012," Sarah Sitton told TBO.com.

The 2004 Indian Rocks Christian graduate is survived by his wife, Sarah, and 9-month-old son, Brodey.

Sitton is the second member of his graduating class to die in Afghanistan — Frank Gross, 25, was killed there last year, TBO.com reports. Sitton and Gross were teammates on the school's baseball team.

"While the school was grieving for Frank Gross, Matt served as a rock and a leader for his other classmates," Indian Rocks Christian Superintendent Don Mayes wrote in a post on the school's website Friday.

Sitton was interviewed by WTSP 10 News last year following the death of his friend and classmate, telling the news station he was "honored to know him."

Friends and family are sharing their memories of Sitton on a Facebook page, Remembering Matt Sitton, set up in his honor.

"It was truly a joy and honor to teach Matt in band for 5 years at IRCS," wrote Dustin Lemler. "Matt became a hero long before the tragic events of Aug 2. As a boy, he had a heart for serving others."

"Matt Sitton was by far the biggest inspiration in my military career, a hard working dirty grunt that treated each man to his left and right as an equal," wrote Calaab Kirby.

Sitton's parents and widow were to fly to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware over the weekend, organizers of the Facebook page said, where his body was to arrive from the Middle East.

Did you know Matt Sitton? Post your memories and condolences in the comments section below.