Airman injured in Afghanistan passes away

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WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) --  An 88th Communication Squadron voice network systems technician wounded in action one year ago in Afghanistan, died Nov. 28.

Senior Airman Tre Porfirio passed away while visiting friends over the Thanksgiving holiday in Missouri. He was 22 years old.

"We are all deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Airman Porfirio," said Col. Amanda Gladney, the 88th Air Base Wing commander. "During his all too short time on this Earth, he truly made a difference, both in trying to help create a free and stable society in Afghanistan, and in stretching the boundaries of medical knowledge. He was a warrior and a patriot who gave his all to a grateful nation. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends during this very difficult time."

Airman Porfirio's story captured the attention of the nation, due to the heroic actions taken to save his life after he was shot in the back three times by an insurgent during an operation in Afghanistan on November 21, 2009.

After several surgeries, doctors at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C., determined his damaged pancreas had to be removed.

They worked with doctors at the University of Miami to salvage islet cells from his pancreas. Those cells were injected into Airman Porfirio's liver, allowing that organ to begin producing the insulin normally produced by the pancreas. This procedure had never before been performed on a trauma patient.

The precise cause of Airman Porfirio's death is unknown.