Soldier honored for valor dies in Afghanistan

FORT BRAGG -- An 82nd Airborne paratrooper who pulled two comrades from a burning vehicle in April died Saturday of wounds sustained while on a ground patrol in Afghanistan, military officials said Monday.

Sgt. Zachary D. Tellier, 31, who recently lived briefly in Charlotte, was a combat infantryman with the 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team at Fort Bragg. He died Saturday, officials said.

"He really just wanted to serve his country," said his wife Sara Tellier. "He felt it was something he should do with his life. He didn't like to be called a hero. He was very uncomfortable with that, but he was definitely very brave man."

Sara Tellier said her husband grew up in New England, but they moved to Charlotte in 2004. He joined the military in 2005 and was deployed to Afghanistan in January.

He was supposed to fly to Atlanta for a two-week leave this month. Sara Tellier has been splitting time between Charlotte and Atlanta, where she has family, since her husband was deployed.

In April, Tellier's unit was conducting a mounted patrol when one of its vehicles drove over and detonated a bomb, which set the vehicle on fire, officials said.

Tellier pulled two paratroopers out of the vehicle to safety, suffering severe burns to his hands. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with valor for his actions. He also had two Purple Hearts.

Spc. Larry Spray, who was one of the two paratroopers Tellier rescued, called Tellier "a good friend and a buddy."

After he was burned, Tellier jumped up in the turret to return fire, said Sgt. Michael Layton, a member of his unit.

He is also survived by his father, David W. Tellier of Groton, Mass.; and his mother, Pamela Rodriguez of Falmouth, Mass.