Spokane native killed at Fort Hood

Family members say a Spokane native was among the 13 people killed during a shooting rampage at Fort Hood in Texas.

Michael Grant Cahill, 62, was a physician assistant who worked at the base as a civilian employee, according to his daughter, Keely Cahill Vanacker, and his sister, Marilyn Attebery.

"My dad was a wonderful person," Vanacker told The Spokesman-Review newspaper Friday.

She said Cahill graduated from Spokane's Rogers High School in 1966 and Eastern Washington University in 1973.

He joined the National Guard, and was trained as a physician assistant, Vanacker said. He retired as a chief warrant officer.

Cahill and his wife, Joleen, met in college, she said.

Attebery told KREM-TV of Spokane that her brother worked at the Fort Hood Soldier Readiness Processing Center, helping give physicals to soldiers ready for deployment.

Attebery said Cahill and his wife moved to Texas in 1991, where he served in the Army Reserve.

Cahill suffered a heart attack three weeks ago, and underwent heart surgery, she said. He was so excited to get back to work that he returned after taking only one week off for recovery, she said.