This photo of Cpl. James Hayward Arnal was taken by a friend as the two hiked the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island in 2005. (Sean Best)The family of Cpl. James Arnal is still trying to come to grips with the death of the Manitoba-based soldier, who was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on Friday.

Born in Saskatchewan, Arnal, 25, had lived most of his life in Winnipeg. He was a member of the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, stationed at Canadian Forces Base Shilo in Manitoba.

His aunt, Donna Kadash, still remembers when he told the family he had decided to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, who also served in the Canadian military.

"That made my dad so proud," she said. "It was hard to accept, knowing him going over there, what he was getting into."

James arrived home safe from his first tour. During his homecoming in Winnipeg, he told the family he was going back for a second tour.

"It was what he believed in. He wanted to protect his family and the country," she said.

"[We were] proud and terrified at the same time, because he had mentioned that [this time] he was going to be more active and closer to the action, and that kind of scared us all."

'Family is so proud'

The casket of Cpl. James Hayward Arnal, who was killed late Friday, is loaded onto a military plane during a ramp ceremony at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan on Sunday. (Alexander Panetta/Canadian Press)Arnal deployed again in February.

He was on an evening foot patrol in the Panjwaii district near Kandahar city on Friday when he was killed, military officials said. Another soldier was wounded in the same blast, but was said to be in good condition and expected to return to duty.

His comrades described him as a leader and a fearless fighter who had left a lucrative career in information technology to join the army.

His family remembers him as a loving, passionate person. Relatives said he had been due to return to Canada in September, but had expressed interest in returning for a third tour of duty in 2009.

Richard Bracken said his close friend loved the soldier's life.

"It gave him the opportunity to travel — I mean, not only to Afghanistan. He travelled to Australia, to Africa, to Europe, to New Zealand, all in his spare time," he said.

"He'd have, like, two-week leaves and he'd go to these places on his own. He'd meet all these people. It's just the way he was. He was a traveller and an adventurer. He loved it so much."

Kadash described her nephew as "just a good guy.

"He always made you laugh, always made you smile. He was the life of the party," she said. "The whole family is so proud of him. And I just hope this ends soon for other family members, not to lose anyone close to them over there."

Arnal's family and friends will meet in Trenton, Ont., this week as his body comes home, Kadash said.

He was the 88th Canadian soldier to die as part of the Afghan mission and the second killed in combat since the beginning of June.