James Heller was a Sergeant in the US Marine Corps before his infection.
He lived in Manhattan,
New York with his wife and daughter. He was forced to leave his family
after being called to battle in a combat tour overseas somewhere in
either Afghanistan or Iraq. When he returned to his hometown of New York
City after 14 month from the end of the first game, the Blacklight
infection had ravaged all of Manhattan and Heller's family was dead.
