U.S. Army Spc. Chris Sitton was killed Saturday in eastern Afghanistan when the supply convoy he was a part of ran over an improvised explosive device, according to his family members. An outgoing 2003 Montrose High graduate and an outdoors enthusiast, Sitton served as a medic in the 10th Mountain Division and had been stationed in Afghanistan since March. He was 21.

"So what's sad is - if we understand it the way we think we do - he was killed trying to render aid," said his mother Judy Sitton.

U.S. Department of Defense officials could not confirm Sitton's death or the events that led up to it, citing laws that require the DOD to wait 24 hours to publicly release information after notifying a family.

During his five months in Afghanistan Chris took part in two major military offensives aimed at eliminating Taliban and Al-Qaeda threats. But he didn't say much about them in e-mails and calls home.

"He always told us it was 'mom' stories, 'dad' stories and stories he wouldn't tell," said his father Steve Sitton.

Despite those moments, Judy said her son was upbeat about his service and felt many Americans didn't get the full picture of what U.S. forces were accomplishing in Afghanistan.

"He wouldn't say a lot negative. He would say there so many good things we don't hear about," she said. "(Afghans) were truly glad Americans were there."

Chris' duties as a medic required him to tend to not only his fellow troops but also to the Afghan people, Judy said.

Chris, who had grown up tagging along with Steve on his calls as a volunteer for a fire and rescue team in Texas, reported for duty in 2004 with the intention of becoming a medic.

Judy remembered Chris excitedly calling home when he got his first chance to work with a cadaver while he was stationed at Fort Drum, N.Y.

"He was so into the medical," Judy said. "Everything was new and everything was exciting."

During his time in Afghanistan, a general also awarded him a commander's coin.

"That would be something very important. You don't just get a general's coin everyday," said Sgt. 1st Class Ashley Tyler, who's serving as the Army's liaison to the Sitton family.

Beyond his love of medicine, the Sittons said their son had always been intrigued by military service.

Laura Sitton, Chris's older sister, recalled him hiding out in the woods in camouflaged fatigues with a BB gun outside their home in Texas, hoping to get one of her ex-boyfriends in his crosshairs.

"We fought like cats dogs growing up, but we were always very close," she said.

Despite that mischievous streak, Cpl. Jana Trujillo, who went to Montrose High School with Chris and enlisted in the Army at the same time, said his ability to get a long with everyone served him well.

"Being deployed, you really have to count on people," said Trujillo, who served a tour in South Korea before returning to Fort Bliss, Texas.

Judy said her son, who qualified for four state track and field events as a senior at Montrose High School in 2003, had hoped to go back to school after he got out of the service in 2008.

"He wanted to get out of the army and go back to college and run," she said. "That was his big goal."

Funeral arrangements are still pending, while the Sittons await word on Chris' return from Afghanistan.