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Major Adrianna VorderbruggenNovember 22, 1979 – December 21, 2015 Adrianna was born in Bogota, Colombia and came to the United States with her new parents Shareene and Joseph Vorderbruggen. She was a gifted athlete and played on the Wayzata High School varsity soccer team, which won the Minnesota state soccer championship in 1998. Her broad talents included playing the piano and oboe, and she excelled equally in the classroom. She entered the Air Force in May 2002 as a graduate from the Air Force Academy and was then selected for duty as an AFOSI Special Agent. In 2005, while stationed at McChord AFB, Adrianna met a fellow Air Force officer, Heather Lamb, who would become the love of her life. Of all the things they immediately saw and admired in each other, it might have been Adrianna’s mentioning she enjoyed ice-fishing that most impressed Heather during one of their first dates. Heather thought to herself, “Wow – this is someone who will adventure with me!” And for the next 10 years, they did! In 2011 Adrianna and Heather had a son, Jacob, who became the most joyful adventure of their lives. They married in Washington, D.C. in 2012, one year after the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Throughout her life, Adrianna enjoyed the camaraderie of sports. She played in recreational soccer leagues and participated in mud runs, Tough Mudders, and Ragnar relays. She enjoyed hiking, fishing, and camping with Heather, Jacob, and Hanna, their dog. Adrianna was the centered and contented presence at the core of her small family—an amazingly strong, kind, forgiving, fun-loving, open-hearted, and above all, happy, person. She had a dazzlingly beautiful smile. She parented Jacob with strength, patience, and kindness. She loved Heather with a deep and enduring love. She was principled, respectful, and supportive of everyone with whom she came in contact. In July of 2015, Adrianna deployed to Afghanistan as the Commander, Expeditionary Detachment 2405, Bagram Airfield, contributing to the joint, multinational force protection efforts for the Bagram Airfield area. She was killed in action on December 21, 2015 while on a dismounted patrol conducting a counterintelligence mission outside the perimeter of Bagram Airfield. A motorcyclist detonated an explosive device hidden in the internal components of the vehicle, killing six and wounding others. Adrianna gave her life for the country she loved. She will be deeply missed, but Adrianna will always be loved, and she will never be forgotten. Portrait sponsored by: |