Captain Michael Quin was one of seven Marines killed when two helicopters collided in Arizona.

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Quin was a 2002 graduate of Loudoun Valley High School. He joined the Marines in 2006. He was assigned the billet of Flightline Officer in Charge and was responsible for the training and welfare of more than 100 Marines. Additionally, he was assigned to the Night System Instructor syllabus in the UH-1Y.

On Monday, Quin's parents spoke about the tragic loss of their son.

"We're still in that stage of numbness. It hasn't hit, it hasn't really hit," said mother Betsy Quin.

Betsy and father Brad Quin said Quin had recently proposed to the love of his life.

"It's a painful hole that has been created and to never be filled," Brad Quin said.

Quin was piloting one of the two Marine Corps. helicopters that collided last month in Yuma, Ariz. during a training mission. Everyone on board the two choppers died.

Quin was set to deploy next month for Afghanistan.

Two days before the fatal accident, Quin saw his fiance Kate and his two sisters at Camp Pendleton outside of San Diego for the what would be the last time.

While his family is grieving and mourning the life Quin never got to live, they find some comfort in the fact he died doing what he'd told them he always wanted to do--serve his county as a United States Marine.

"I'm thinking more about what could have been and it's hard and I'm going to think about that for a long, long time but I'm immensely proud of him," said his father.

Quin's personal decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps. Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (second award), the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.