CUBA, N.Y. — The tight-knit community of Cuba in Allegany County is still trying to process the death of Sgt. Mark Bradley. The Marine died Thursday after succumbing to injuries sustained in combat earlier in June, when he stepped on an explosive device in Afghanistan.

Bradley spent a short time at Cuba-Rushford Central School after moving around a bit while his father was part of the United States Air Force. He graduated from Cuba-Rushford in 2003.

The Bradley family is well known in the Cuba area because his grandparents owned a restaurant in the downtown at one point. Bradley’s family moved from the area after his parents divorced

He's described as a great Marine, and a fine human being with a good sense of humor.

“He didn't want to sit still much. He was always on the go. I don't recall him being any kind of a problem,” said Gary Wight, the athletic director at Cuba-Rushford.

“I think everybody that came in contact with him really enjoyed being around him. Really appreciated the things he did. Like I say, I don't remember him being a discipline problem other than you know prank stuff that kids do,” said Wight.

“He was just a great fun loving guy. A real prankster who liked to pick on people and but he was also a fantastic role model for his brothers. He kept them in line,” said Jack Bradley, Mark’s father.

Mark was close to his two brothers and one sister, and played club hockey with his younger brother Stephen. In fact, Mark made such an impact on his 23-year-old brother that he signed up for the Marines as well. They were in the same unit and also trained together in sniper school.

“They wanted to go together. They knew the risks but they also knew if something happened to the other one, they didn't want to not know and they wanted to be close by where one of them could go to the other's help,” said Jack Bradley.

Sgt. Mark Bradley leaves behind his mother, father, stepmother, a wife, and three siblings.

The funeral for Bradley will be held in North Carolina. He will be buried in Tampa, Florida, next to his grandfather, who he was very close to.

Bradley would have turned 26th on July 7.