Created: 8/2/2009 4:25:43 PM 
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The spokeswoman for the family of Navy Capt. Scott Speicher says they now have closure after an 18 year struggle for answers.
Cindy Laquidara told First Coast News the family expects to get a classified briefing sometime Monday on exactly what happened after 18 years of twists and turns.
"We owe a duty to people who put themselves in danger for the defense of the country and you just do it, do the part that you can," said Laquidara. "Never give up."
The Speicher family is very thankful to Senator Bill Nelson, who, like many others, never gave up.
"Without Senator Nelson's support we wouldn't be here," said Laquidara. "He has dogged this, it was such a change when he became our senator."
Laquidara says the family has closure because of Senator Nelson's persistence.
"There were long gaps during the past administration, there was a different approach that he was gone and we needed to get over it," said Laquidara. "That's not the way it works in the active duty military. That's not the duty we owe those men and women and that's not the duty we were willing to take."
Senator Nelson told First Coast News Sunday night the news isn't what the family had hoped for, but it's something that'll allow them to move forward.
"It's a relief to get the news, although it's sad, it certainly allows the family to have closure on this and it allows those children not to have to continue to wonder if their father is alive," said Senator Nelson.
The family of Scott Speicher issued a statement to First Coast News:
"The news that Captain Speicher has died on Iraqi soil after ejecting from his aircraft has been difficult for the family, but his actions in combat, and the search for him, will forever remain in their hearts and minds."
Aviation expert and retired Naval pilot Sean Cronin was asked by the family to investigate the crash several years ago.
Cronin told First Coast News on Monday that based on the information he received and witnesses he talked to, he believes Speicher survived the crash.
Cronin says the good condition of the flight suit is one reason why he thinks Speicher ejected the plane safely.
Cronin says as a former Navy pilot, the one thing that has bothered him in this case is that code was not followed.
"It's the code if you're shot down, you find them. You don't leave them out there." Cronin says the military had the coordinates for Speicher's crash location but never searched for him, believing that he was dead.
Family members have said for years they believe Speicher survived.
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