Soldier's death still troubles many

Brad Shuder and many other fallen soldiers will be remembered for years to come if local organizers of a veterans memorial get their way.On April 12, 2004, 21-year-old Shuder was killed while serving in Iraq. This year marked the seventh anniversary of his death."It's never the same," said Rose Shuder, Brad's mother. "I guess for me, I wonder what he would be doing now at the age of 29. What would he look like and be doing? It never stops. Time makes it not as difficult, but it never stops."Rose said the El Dorado Hills community has been supportive and helpful during the time after her son's death."When Brad died, the support was unbelievable, the community was so supportive for our family," Rose said. "Everyone was so helpful. It was a great honor for Brad's memory."Brad was adopted from Korea at 18 months old into the Shuder family including Rose and her husband Glenn. They also have a younger daughter Chelsey, 26.The family moved to El Dorado Hills in 1993."Brad went through the El Dorado County School system and graduated from Oak Ridge in 2001," Rose said. "He was very well liked. … He always wanted to be in the military. Upon his graduation, Sept. 11, 2001 happened, so he signed up for the Marines."After graduating boot camp, Brad went to Iraq in 2003."He was there when we attacked Iraq for the first time," Rose said. "He went in for his second deploy in February 2004 and was killed April 12, 2004. Brad took full front of a bomb. There were two others killed in his platoon and the rest were injured."Seven years later, Rose said the community is still supportive."Since then, there are still phone calls that we get," Rose said. "On Veterans Day we will put pictures of Brad in our front yard. … We still will hear from his friends and all his platoon."This year, Yvonne Phillips, of El Dorado Hills, painted the rock in memory of Brad.She said it's important to honor him and remember what he did for his country.Other friends also keep Brad's memory alive, including Vietnam veteran John Cordova, an El Dorado Hills resident since 1993."John Cordova has never forgotten Brad Shuder," Rose said.Cordova said his son was friends with Brad while the boys grew up."He was very proud of the fact that he was going into the Marines," Cordova said. "I know what he went through over there. When you serve in combat and see someone who served in combat, you have a connection and understand that person."After the notification of Brad's death, Cordova said he and Adriane Garcia, another Marine living in El Dorado Hills, wanted to do something to help remember the local veterans."We created a motorcycle run to raise money for a scholarship to an Oak Ridge High School student who wrote an essay on a veteran," Cordova said.The idea grew and four years ago they started a car show and motorcycle show in El Dorado Hills to raise money for the scholarships. He said they also put bronze plaques on site at the high schools of fallen soldiers.Then, they wanted to expand their idea to a veteran's memorial in the region."We wanted to have the high schools name a building after Brad, but we couldn't," he said. "Finally, the CSD gave a half acre of land for a veteran's memorial in El Dorado Hills. It will be dedicated on Wednesday, May 4."He said his goal through all this work is to help keep veterans remembered."We want to get students involved and acknowledge veterans who are serving, have served and those who have died," Cordova said.Rose said she hopes her community will remember those currently serving and support local families the same way she was supported. "A lot of parents that I know who lost their children in the military fear their children will be forgotten," Rose said. "I don't feel that's true (about Brad). It's important to remember that there are still some people in our community who are serving."