Christopher Slutman was part of a big military family. He was a loving husband and a father to three beautiful girls. His parents moved to York County in 2006, and though his family now lives in Wilmington, Delaware, his father said he moved all over the country serving in more ways than one.
"I talked to my parents," Fletcher A. Slutman Jr., Christopher's father, said. "Who are both dead. But I have a cross in my room. And talked to them. Let them know that Christopher's coming. To take care of them."
Two Marines showed up at his door Monday night. They didn't need to say anything. He already knew.
"So I went out, turned the light on, opened the door. I said, 'this is not good. You better not be giving me any bad news,' he said, 'can we come in'," Fletcher said.
Fletcher's second oldest son was one of three Americans killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, leaving behind his wife and three daughters, ages 10, 8, and 4. He was due to come home this month.
"He was quiet," Fletcher said. "He worked hard at everything he did. He was meticulous. He was an Eagle scout. He studied hard. He did every job very well. He did his work around the home, he did work in the community."
But his services extended beyond the United States Marine Corp. A 15-year firefighter of New York City, Christopher was honored five years ago for rescuing a woman from a burning building. His father said among 15,000 firefighters, he was one of 60 that year to be recognized.
"He was a good son, a good father, a good firefighter, he was a good scout," Fletcher said.
And a man with no prouder parents on this earth, Christopher's body will come home Thursday night in Dover to the soil he fought for.
No word yet on when Christopher's funeral is, but his parents said his services will be held in Arlington, Virginia.