From Deseret News archives:

'I'm proud he died with his boots on'

Family speaks to media about missionary's death

Published: Friday, Jan. 6, 2006 10:11 p.m. MST
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BOUNTIFUL — The mother of slain missionary Elder Morgan W. Young has no qualms about sending two of her children on missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the future. It's what Morgan would want.

"We are a family in grief, but we are not a family in crisis," Kathy Young said.

Kathy Young and husband Mark Young spoke to members of the media outside their Bountiful home Friday, their first extended time with the media since returning from Virginia, where Morgan Young was killed.

Young's body arrived in Salt Lake City about 4 p.m. Friday, where it awaited transport to Russon Brothers Mortuary in Bountiful. The funeral for Morgan Young will be held at noon Tuesday at the Bountiful 31st Ward, 585 E. Center St.

"We're trying to get through to the end of Tuesday," Kathy Young said.

Young, 21, and a fellow missionary, Elder Joshua Heidbrink, 19, were shot Monday after apparently witnessing a crime in the Deep Creek area of Chesapeake, Va.

Heidbrink was shot first through the neck, and Young was shot in the head. He died at a local hospital about an hour before his family arrived. He was two months shy of completing his service.

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James Rickey Boughton Jr., 19, was arrested Wednesday. He is charged with first-degree murder, malicious wounding, attempted malicious wounding and three counts of using a gun during the commission of those felonies.

Scott Heidbrink has said his brother reported that the two missionaries heard shots just before a man ran up to them and started firing. The gunman fled, and Heidbrink ran to a nursing home for help.

Heidbrink is now recovering at home in Greeley, Colo., his family said in a statement Friday.

"Even in their time of extreme grief, (the Youngs) expressed their concern for Joshua and helped him feel better about the loss of his good friend. Our hearts are broken for their loss," the statement said.

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will speak at the funeral, as will a member of the church's First Presidency, he said.

"This was such a senseless loss in the case of Elder Young," Elder Ballard said.

The flight from Salt Lake City to Virginia was a solemn one, Kathy Young said. The family spent time remembering Morgan Young and grieving. It was time well spent.

"We were prepared for the long walk into the hospital," she said.

Morgan Young's mission president, Spencer Kirk, was at Morgan's side when he died.

During the week, the Young family visited with other missionaries in the Richmond Virginia mission and talked to some of Morgan Young's former companions.

Recent comments

I fell sorry for elder young.well god knowns where he was.

Anna leah | March 18, 2009 at 10:32 p.m.

Image

Kathy Young, right, pulls her husband's hand to her and kisses it after speaking to media at their home in Bountiful.

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