Honoree: Brian Grant

Hometown: Dallas, TX
Branch of Service: Army
Rank: Private First Class
Player: Adam Bresnu
Army Private First Class Brian Grant, 31, of Dallas, TX, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Camp Howze, Korea. He was killed November 26, 2004, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces using small-arms fire in Ramadi, Iraq. PFC Grant was struck down by an enemy sniper rifle, killing him instantly.
Following enlistment and basic training, PFC Grant was deployed to South Korea in 2003 then relocated to Iraq in 2004. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and a Purple Heart and was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery on December 8, 2004.
Born and raised on Staten Island, NY, PFC Grant was the youngest of five. His enlistment in the Army in February of 2002 was no surprise to anyone. His father, John, was a twenty-four year NYFD firefighter veteran. His brothers, Kevin and Mike were a New York City police officer and firefighter, respectively. Whether it was the personal connection he felt with so many of his family, who all survived the September 11th attacks, or the pain and suffering felt by his community because of those events, PFC Grant was compelled to serve his country.