Mother learns truth of son's death

PORTSMOUTH, Va. - Pictures tell the story of Mason Lee Lewis. The bronze star recipient was overseas on his second deployment, when he died of non-combat related injuries.

"SPC Lewis had struck his head on the bucket during his fall to the ground," read his mother, Lisa Lewis, from an investigation following his death.

Mason was trying to get on top of a one-story building to simulate a sniper when he fell. But Mason Lewis' story was about to be rewritten.

"I know someone can have an accident, but Mason was so sure-footed and so careful," Lisa Lewis said.

His mother spent hour after hour agonizing his last few minutes. Two weeks later, the image changed.

"I had come to grips with it. This is what happened and I needed to stop seeing it in my mind and just try to accept it."

"And then they came with the real story and here we go all over again."

An investigation after Mason's death revealed what really happened, starting with two Iraqi brothers who were helping Lewis.

"Both eventually confessed freely to the fact that SPC Lewis was accidentally crushed by a bucket loader," read Lisa Lewis from the report.

Army investigators discovered a poorly maintained bucket loader with no brakes and sluggish hydraulics, operated by an inexperienced crew, led to Mason's death.

In a home that has become a picture book of Mason's life, his mother wants the end of his story set straight for his sake.