A Columbia marine has died after being taken off life support, just days before his pregnant wife expects to have their first child.

Lance Corporal Andrew Carpenter had served before in Afghanistan, in 2008, and was expecting to return home later this spring.

The 27-year-old died five days after he was shot in the neck while on patrol in Helmand province on Valentine’s Day.

The bullet severed Carpenter’s spinal cord, and his heart stopped for more than half an hour, leaving him on life support. He was declared brain-dead, and his parents flew last week to a hospital in Germany to be with him as doctors turned off his ventilator.

Carpenter’s wife Crissie is expecting a boy in the next few days.

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Carpenter’s father told the Columbia Daily Herald last week it’s not clear exactly how he was shot, saying it could’ve been friendly fire or an accident.

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