Beverly soldier is killed, wanted to change world

BEVERLY - Among the flood of memories that rushed throughElizabeth "Betty" Crawford's mind yesterday was the time in July shestood at Logan Airport watching her son, Army Specialist StephenFortunato, as he prepared to leave her and New England.

Suddenly, the supportive but anxious mom who had easily handledevery other separation since her son enlisted in the Army in 2005was replaced by the mother who wanted to reach out, grab hold of herson, and never let him go.

"I knew I was sending him back to a war zone, [and] I didn't want[the Army] to have my son," she recalled yesterday. "But the otherpart of me said this is what he wanted to do. He was a soldier. Thiswas his job. It was the hardest thing I ever did in my life."

Crawford recalled that Logan moment yesterday as she alsorecalled her son, who was killed Tuesday in Afghanistan when thevehicle he was riding in was blown by up an improvised explosivedevice. At least two other soldiers were killed, Army officials toldFortunato's family.

"My son Stephen was very affectionate and a loving kid," Crawfordsaid of her 25-year-old son. "He was the jokester, all the time. Buthe was also a dedicated soldier. He went into the Army like anyoneelse, a kid. He came home as a man."

According to his family, Fortunato's decision to enlist into awar-time Army was driven by a powerful feeling of patriotism; adesire to experience war personally, not only through a video game;and the opportunity to use the GI Bill to pay for college.

Since joining, he had served in Korea, but in July he wasassigned to the First Infantry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, and wasdeployed to Afghanistan.

He returned to Beverly for a three-week break, which ended Sept.26. He then spent about two weeks working his way back toAfghanistan and had been there only briefly when he was killed, hisfamily said yesterday.

"He wanted to change the world," his father, Richard, said in aphone interview from his Florida home yesterday. "How he was goingto do it single-handedly, I don't know. But he wanted to change theworld."

The elder Fortunato also recalled a conversation with his son:"He told me in these words, `Dad, I'm ready to die for my country.'I don't know where he got that, he just wanted to be out there, todo it."

Fortunato was from a prominent Beverly family, which includes aformer mayor and school superintendent. He grew up in Danvers andBeverly and graduated from Beverly High School in 2002, his familysaid.

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More from his family accessible at www.boston.com.

He tried studying graphic arts at North Shore Community College,but decided he was not ready for college, his family said. Heenlisted, choosing the Army because he wanted to be in combat."That's where he wanted to be, in the middle of it," his fathersaid.

Fortunato was the oldest of three children, and his youngersiblings were at their mother's side yesterday, offering support andmemories of their brother.

"I don't even want to believe this is true. He was my role model,my hero," said Anthony, 20, the youngest. "My brother was everythingto me. I loved him so much that I really, really hope that whereverhe is, he knows that."

Joseph Fortunato, 23, said he and his extended family are stillreeling from his brother's death. "I never thought it would happento our family," he said.

Sherri Favaloro, whom Stephen Fortunato married in 2006, saidyesterday the couple's marriage had been stressed to near thebreaking point by his service.

They had begun divorce proceedings. But, she said, they were inconstant contact over the phone and Internet and were trying topatch things up, especially during his leave in September.

"He had brown hair, green eyes, and the biggest smile in theworld," she said. "He was a loving person. He loved his family. Heloved his mother. He stayed strong for them. He was a hero."

According to his family, Fortunato's original enlistment wouldhave ended in mid-December. But because he was assigned to a unitthat deployed to Afghanistan in July, his tour of duty was extendedinto 2009.

"I wish he was here and I miss him a lot. I wish this card wasn'tdealt to him, but it was," his father said. "I lost my oldest son. Imiss him.

"But he gave up his life for a great cause; he gave it up for hiscountry. I don't know what else I can tell you."

Funeral arrangements are incomplete, the family said.

John Ellement can be reached at ellement@globe.com.