The Apex soldier has been identified as the man who died in a vehicle rollover while training on Monday at Fort Hood in Texas.
Private Ethan Brewer of Apex enlisted in the Army in 2025 and wanted to train as a medic, arriving at Fort Hood in early 2026. His awards include the Army Achievement Medal.
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His father, Matthew Brewer, says he helped his son swear in.
“One of the best honors of my life was getting to swear him in before he went off to basic [training]," he said.
Brewer's family says he was a man loved by many and wanted to be just like his father by joining the U.S. Army.
“He made it. He accomplished a lot. He was only a couple of decades old, but he was a great man. A great man. A great soldier. A great son and brother," Matthew Brewer said. "He wanted to be a real action figure."
On Monday, Ethan Brewer's new life in the Army was cut short. According to officials at Fort Hood, Brewer was killed in a vehicle rollover involving a front-line ambulance during training.
"Honestly, it's really hard to work through it. But with the grace of God, we’ll get there," Matthew Brewer said.
While his loved ones had the pleasure of seeing Ethan serve, they shared a message to those who hope to keep his legacy alive.
“You take care of business when business needs to be taken care of, and also hold your loved ones close, always," Matthew Brewer said.
Another soldier was injured in the rollover and has been released from the hospital. The U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center is investigating the incident.
Brewer's family says funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date, but is asking everyone to donate to Tunnel to Towers Foundation in his honor