MIAMI -- A Miami soldier was killed Saturday during an insurgent attack in Baloor, Iraq.

Staff Sgt. Donnie D. Dixon, 37, died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire, the Department of Defense announced Monday.

Dixon, who recently celebrated his 37th birthday, had spoken with his family in South Florida a little more than a week prior to his death.

"I don't want anyone to go through this," said his mother, Dessie Dixon. "It's hard. It's very hard. You see people go through it, but you don't experience the pain until it happens to you."

Dixon graduated from Miami Carol City Senior High School in 1988 and had been in the military ever since. His second tour of duty in Iraq was set to come to an end in December.

"He had a very strong personality -- fun-loving, always saying something to make you laugh," said his sister, Valencia Dixon.

Dixon's family said they had already begun planning a welcome home party for the husband and father of five. Instead, they have to plan for his funeral.

The last time Dixon's mother saw her son was a year ago at his grandfather's funeral.

"He'd try everything -- wrestling, baseball, basketball," said Dessie Dixon. "Anything, he'd do it."