PITTSBURG (KRON) — Derrick Luckey’s lawn in Pittsburg is ringed with flags put there by a neighbor to honor his daughter, a member of the United States Navy, who died suddenly on a ship bound for Tokyo.
“On Sept. 7, we took Danyelle to the airport to leave for Japan and that was the last time we saw her, and she was fine and healthy,” mother Annette Luckey said.
“Three military personnel standing on my porch, and you know when they come to your house, there’s nothing good about that,” father Derrick Luckey said.
Danyelle Luckey was just beginning her naval career, and she and her family were filled with hope.
“When she said she was going to the Navy, I was proud of her because I was going to live the experience through her,” Derrick said. “And now I can’t.”
The family’s home is filled with tributes to Danyelle, as they gather to plan a funeral for their daughter.
But most of all, they want answers as to what happened to a young woman who left just weeks ago healthy and excited about her military service.
“I loaned my daughter to the Navy,” Derrick said. “My baby left here. She was healthy. My baby came back in a casket.”
“The navy has been kind to us, but we want answers,” Annette said. “We just want to know what happened to Danyelle. I want to know what was going on, how long was she in the hospital, what state was she in. I just want answers.”
Navy officials said it could be 10 weeks before the results of an autopsy can be completed.