San Antonio is grieving from the news of the death of the son of two prominent citizens who was killed in the Afghanistan war.
Marine Lance Corporal Benjamin Whetstone Schmidt, 24, son of San Antonio Spurs doctor David Schmidt, and local counselor/therapist Becky Whetstone was killed in action Thursday in Afghanistan.
Schmidt, a graduate of Alamo Heights High School, spent some brief time at home in August before he embarked on his second tour of Afghanistan in September.
Scheduled to end his deployment in May 2012, Corporal Schmidt was killed from a gunshot wound to the head.
“Sports serve society by provide vivid examples of excellence,” is listed as one of the favorite quotations of the former Alamo Heights football player. His Facebook page also states “Let there be songs to fill the air!”
Corporal Schmidt is survived by his parents, his sister Casey, 21, and girlfriend Taylor Ryan.
Benjamin’s mother, Becky Whetstone, is a popular marriage and family therapist in San Antonio. She is well known as a former columnist for the North San Antonio Times and Express-News. Miss Whetstone has appeared on many local television and radio programs as a regular guest. She was preparing for the potential opening of a second office to be located in her hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas when she was informed of her son’s death.
Dr. David R. Schmidt, father of Benjamin, is known to San Antonio as the team physician for the NBA Spurs basketball team. He has served as physician for the US Olympic Festival, the World University Games in Japan, and the Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Besides the Spurs, Dr. Schmidt also serves the San Antonio WNBA Silver Stars, Trinity University and many local high schools. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. His expertise is in knee surgery and cartilage repair/restoration.
Today marks the 10thanniversary of the beginning of the Afghan war.
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