South Orange County Veteran Killed Fighting In Ukraine, Family Says

LAKE FOREST, CA — The Orange County community is mourning the loss of an exemplary U.S. Marine, Park Service Ranger and ICE agent who died overseas while fighting for his fiancée's home country of Ukraine, family members said this week.

Orange County native Ian "Frank" Tortorici was killed last week after a Russian missile hit the pizza restaurant he was dining in. He was 32.

“He never got wounded. He never got hurt on any of the operations, with the exception of one concussion,” his father, Jon Frank, told the Southern California News Group in a phone interview on Tuesday, July 4. “He was killed on leave eating in a restaurant by a Russian collaborator, who called in a (missile) strike.”

According to Jon, Frank contacted him in March 2022 to tell his father that he was in country to help, and that his son would not allow him to "tell anyone," and that he would "come home when it's over."

"He ended up in the International Legion and fought on all fronts for 15 months straight. He experienced a lifetime of death and horrors but chose to stay," Jon said in a Facebook post. "He loved his team, his girlfriend and Ukraine."

Frank was described by his loved ones as one of the most selfless, bravest, kindest and unassuming person on the planet. The veteran was also one of the most "off center" people on the planet, and "hated for anyone to know it," his dad said.

"He asked that if anything was to happen not to make a fuss but I have to share who he was," Jon said. "I'm grateful he shared photos and some stories with me, I'll treasure these for the rest of my life."