Fund established to help family of fallen soldier who had local ties

A fund to help the wife and daughter of Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician Sean P. Carson, who was killed Aug. 16 in the crash of a Black Hawk helicopter in Afghanistan, has been set up at Bank of Hawaii, family said. 

Carson, 32, was from Des Moines, Wash., but was based at the Marine Corps base at Kaneohe Bay from 2001 to 2004. He met his wife, Nicole, in Hawaii, and traveled here at least twice a year with his family.

The Carsons have a 4-year-old daughter, Leila.

The fund has been set up for both Leila and Nicole to help with funeral and travel costs back and forth to San Diego, said Jayme Navor, Nicole Carson’s brother.

Sean Carson, based in San Diego with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3, was killed in the crash with four Hawaii-based soldiers — the crew on the Black Hawk — along with two San Diego-based Navy SEALs, three Afghan security force members and a civilian Afghan interpreter.

Donations can be made at any Bank of Hawaii to the “Friends of Leila Carson” account.

Nicole Carson, who was born and raised in Hawaii and graduated from Maryknoll School, was staying with her parents in Waipahu during her husband’s deployment.

Sean Carson loved surfing in Hawaii, and his widow plans to spread his ashes at Leftovers, one of his favorite surf spots on the North Shore.

Nicole Carson is waiting for her husband’s remains to return to Hawaii, and no funeral arrangements have been made yet, but a service is being planned at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl, Navor said.