That “Rusty” Rippetoe, 27, of Arvada, Colo., died trying to help someone else came as no surprise to those who knew him.

“His whole family is like that,” said neighbor Palmer Mason.

He was killed in a suicide car-bomb attack April 3 while coming to the aid of a pregnant woman standing next to the car. The woman, who had been a passenger in the car, also was killed.

Rippetoe played soccer in high school but often came to the Masons’ house to play basketball with their daughter, said Palmer’s husband, Jim.

“He was very outgoing, strong, sensitive, a person you always wanted to be around. He made you feel good,” Jim Mason said.

Told the nature of the explosion, he said: “It was Rusty running to help. He was always there for you.”

Rippetoe joined ROTC as a junior at Metro State College in Denver, two years later than most cadets. But he was a natural leader and quickly gained responsibilities in the unit, said Capt. Steve Walker, who recruited him.

“Folks just sort of respected him. At 5 in the morning he had a smile on his face and was ready for a workout,” Walker said.

To keep a closer eye on younger cadets, Rippetoe moved to Boulder and commuted 25 miles into Denver for classes. He hoped for a career in law enforcement.