A Colorado Airman who was killed earlier this month while fighting in Afghanistan was laid to rest Saturday. 44-year-old, Master Sergeant Randy Gillespie grew up in Coaldale, Colorado and was stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.

Gillespie was laid to rest at the Air Force Academy. He was shot and killed on July 9th during an encounter outside a base in Afghanistan.

"Taking care of people and meeting their needs, those were his strengths," said Lt. Col. Michael Washington.

And it were those strengths that took Gillespie on 16 tours of duty, four since the war of terror began in 2003.

"I was very proud of him," said his brother Rick.

Those who knew Gillespie the best describe him as a fearless, humble leader who always made a difference.

"He was helping rebuild three schools in Afghanistan, he wanted to see the kids there going to school again,” said Randy’s other brother Roger.

And his family says it was doing things for kids that Gillespie loved the most. The father of four, he was a loving dad and husband and he always put his family above all else.

"We barely saw him throughout the past 24 years of service and he had told the family that after this tour of duty he was going to return to Colorado," Roger said.

And while Gillespie will never return home, his family knows their hero will never be far.

"It's because of men like my brother that we can have our freedom today," Rick said.

Gillespie served 24 years in the Air Force and was planning on retiring when he returned in April.