US Soldier Killed in Iran Drone Strike Was Days Away from Returning Home to Husband and Kids

The heartbreaking story of Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor really hits home. This 39-year-old mom from White Bear Lake, Minnesota, was so close to coming back to her family—just a few days away—when tragedy struck.

She was one of six U.S. service members killed in an Iranian drone strike that hit a command center at Port Shuaiba in Kuwait on Sunday. Her husband, Joey, shared how they were texting the night before about her tripping and falling, and then… nothing the next morning. “She was almost home,” he said, his voice breaking with the pain. “You don’t go to Kuwait expecting something like this, and for her to be one of the first—it just hurts so much.”

Nicole had been serving with the Army Reserve’s 103rd Sustainment Command, handling logistics to make sure troops had food, supplies, and equipment. She first joined the National Guard back in 2005 as an automated logistics specialist, then moved to the Army Reserve in 2006. She’d deployed to Kuwait and Iraq before, so this wasn’t her first time away.

At home, she was the kind of mom who loved the simple things—tending her garden, making fresh salsa with her high school senior son using veggies they grew together, or rollerblading and biking with her fourth-grade daughter. Those everyday moments made her deployment feel even more unbearable for her family.

The attack came right after the U.S. and Israel kicked off major strikes on Iran under Operation Epic Fury, and Iran hit back hard. A week earlier, Nicole and others had been moved off the main base into these shipping container-style buildings for what they thought was better safety in smaller groups. Sadly, it didn’t protect them.

Alongside her, the Pentagon has identified Capt. Cody Khork, 35, from Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, from Bellevue, Nebraska; and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, from West Des Moines, Iowa (who was posthumously promoted). The names of the other two are still being withheld.

It’s one of those stories that reminds us of the human cost behind the headlines—families left waiting, dreams cut short, and lives forever changed. My thoughts are with Joey, the kids, and everyone who loved her. Rest in peace, Sgt. Amor. Thank you for your service.