CORUNNA, Mich. -- A Michigan community is remembering a soldier who died earlier this week in Afghanistan.

Private First Class Shane Cantue was killed when a missile hit his army base.

He had only been deployed for a short time and was on his first tour of duty.

Friends say he joined the army because he wanted to be part of a team.

"He wanted to serve. He wanted to find his niche his life," said Mike Sullivan, Cantue's former football coach. "So, he thought the next best thing that would push him like a team, like a football team, would be the military."

Cantue was a star athlete at Corunna High School, near Flint. 

The school plans to honor him with a moment of silence before Thursday's football game.