Mom opens door expecting surprise from Space Force son instead airmen deliver worst news of all

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A mother's joy rapidly turned to grief when she received the worst news imaginable about her airman son she believed was moments from surprising her.

Cedric Eneluna, 23, a member of the US Space Force's 30th Civil Engineer Squadron's Pavements and Equipment Flight, died last Thursday at Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County in an accident involving heavy machinery.

Eneluna's mother, Myra Locsin, said she experienced an 'unforgettable night' when four airmen knocked on her door around 10.15pm.

'I thought you were hiding behind them to surprise me but it was the moment that any parent didn't want to experience,' Locsin wrote on Facebook.

When she learned that her son was no longer alive, Locsin said the news was 'unbearable.'

Eneluna died in an incident that happened when the equipment he was operating rolled down an embankment, according to the US Space Force.

The grieving mother added: 'I love you Son! You had been a very good son. Loving, responsible and smart kid. You had always made me proud.'

Eneluna first joined the Armed Forces on March 5, 2024, and arrived at Vandenberg about five months later for his first duty assignment.

On Saturday, Locsin wrote that losing her son was 'heartbreaking' and 'surreal.'

'I will miss your wake up calls, your hugs and kisses, and your voice when you call me "Mama,"' she posted.

Four days later, Locsin said she was 'so proud' of Eneluna, as she shed light on their family history.

'I can still remember vividly, you called me one day and thanked me for my sacrifices and your grandmother's sacrifice, too,' she said. 'You knew what responsibility was, growing up without a father.'

The heartbroken mom said that her son had told her he would be 'a better father and a loving husband one day.'

'I was so excited to shower my grandkids with the love and care i did for you,' she wrote.

Eneluna's last Facebook update had come on July 11, just five days before his death.

He had updated his profile picture to show himself posing with a wide smile next to two dogs.

Eneluna had spent his childhood in the Philippines, with a social media profile listing his birthplace as Bacolod City, but called Fayetteville, North Carolina, his hometown.

The commander of Space Launch Delta 30 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Space Force Col James T Horne III, said that the base was 'grieving alongside Cedric's loved ones and his teammates.'

'He made a lasting impression on his teammates through his character, dedication, and genuine care for others,' Horne III said.

Airmen of the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron's Pavements and Equipment Flight are tasked to help sustain the infrastructure supporting Vandenberg's launch, test and range operations.

'He brought out the best in everyone,' Air Force Lt Col Seth Poulsen said. 'He was always ready to work, always willing to help, and always had a positive attitude.

Poulsen added: 'He truly represented what it means to be an Airman.'

The statement announcing Eneluna's death said his teammates recalled him as a 'positive influence who approached every challenge with determination, embraced every opportunity to serve, and made everyone around him feel.

Eneluna was part of a crew known on the base as the 'Dirt Boyz,' according to the statement.

One of Eneluna's teammates, Gage Potthoff, tributed him on Facebook as someone who 'ALWAYS had a smile and found a way to be positive.'

'The Vandeberg [sic] Dirtboyz love and miss you,' Potthoff wrote on Friday. 'I miss you, thank you for having such a big impact on my life for the beautiful person you are.'

As of Wednesday, Eneluna's official cause of death had not been determined by the Santa Barbara coroner.

The space base said that 'additional details will be withheld' until an investigation into his death was complete.

No one else was injured in the fatal incident, according to the space base.

Details about upcoming memorial services and recognitions honoring Eneluna had not been finalized yet.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Vandenberg Space Force Base, the Coroner's Bureau at the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office and Eneluna's mother, Locsin, for further comment.