Friends react to death of soldier

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Terre Haute native Sergeant Dale Griffin died this week, while serving in Afghanistan.

On Thursday, as word got out of Griffin's death, staff members at his former high school, Terre Haute South Vigo, had vivid memories of the fallen soldiers.

The staff described him with words like leader, team player and outgoing. Former teacher Jim Mann said he had an outgoing personality. "He had a desire to be successful. I have always remembered that about him," Mann said.

From the classroom to the floor mats, his wrestling coach remembered him as a team player.

"He was never a look at me look, look at all of the great things I have done. He would say, hey the team did great today. We had a great practice. We have achieved some great goals, never about me, never about I. He wasn't the Hollywood guy that wanted the camera pointed at him all of the time," Griffin’s wrestling coach Steve Joseph said.

Griffin’s Football coach recalled memories about the leader he was. "Challenges never bothered him. He was real straight forward, real competitive. Just a great kid," Griffin’s Football Coach Jay Engle said.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been made for Sgt. Dale Griffin.