{"id":54070,"date":"2021-09-22T21:15:39","date_gmt":"2021-09-22T21:15:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/09\/22\/mourners-in-california-honor-3-marines-killed-in-afghanistan\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T09:40:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T09:40:08","slug":"mourners-in-california-honor-3-marines-killed-in-afghanistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/disaster\/2021\/09\/22\/mourners-in-california-honor-3-marines-killed-in-afghanistan\/","title":{"rendered":"Mourners in California honor 3 Marines killed in Afghanistan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mourners in California said prayers and their final goodbyes Saturday to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2021\/08\/28\/here-are-the-names-of-the-13-service-members-who-died-in-afghanistan-attack\/\" target=\"_blank\">three Marines killed<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marinecorpstimes.com\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2021\/09\/10\/29-purple-hearts-approved-12-pending-for-marines-and-corpsman-who-defended-kabul-airport\/\" target=\"_blank\">August\u2019s bombing in Afghanistan.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Family and friends of Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui packed a church in Riverside, California, to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marinecorpstimes.com\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2021\/09\/15\/7-marines-still-hospitalized-weeks-after-kabul-airport-suicide-bombing\/\" target=\"_blank\">celebrate the life<\/a> of the 20-year-old Marine from Norco, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He was one of 13 U.S. troops killed in a horrific suicide bombing at Afghanistan\u2019s Kabul airport, which also claimed the lives of more than 160 Afghans, on Aug. 26.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/afghanistan\/2021\/08\/28\/here-are-the-names-of-the-13-service-members-who-died-in-afghanistan-attack\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"170\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6800017.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Here are the names of the 13 U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan attack<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Thirteen U.S. service members died Thursday in Kabul, Afghanistan, supporting Operation Freedom\u2019s Sentinel.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nikoui sent videos to his family hours before he died, showing himself interacting with children in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Phil Wozniak, pastor of Grace Fellowship Church Norco, California, said Nikoui pulled three families to safety and went back to the airport to rescue a child when the bomb went off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt didn\u2019t surprise me that those were his last moments,\u201d his sister Shyler Chappell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said her brother had wanted to become a Marine \u201cfor as long as I can remember\u201d and went on to join the Junior ROTC at his high school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3840\" height=\"2498\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262024032351.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-93399\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262024032351.jpg.jpg 3840w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262024032351.jpg.jpg?resize=300,195 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262024032351.jpg.jpg?resize=768,500 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262024032351.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,666 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262024032351.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,999 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262024032351.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1332 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3840px) 100vw, 3840px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Los Angeles Police officers arrive to attend the memorial service for U.S. Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez at the Palm Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs, California, Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. (Terry Pierson\/The Orange County Register via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3840\" height=\"2612\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262022809265.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-93406\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262022809265.jpg.jpg 3840w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262022809265.jpg.jpg?resize=300,204 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262022809265.jpg.jpg?resize=768,522 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262022809265.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,697 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262022809265.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1045 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262022809265.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1393 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3840px) 100vw, 3840px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tim Francone watches his wife, Karen, wipe tears from her eye as she listens during a memorial service for U.S. Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez outside the Palm Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs, California, Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021 (Terry Pierson\/The Orange County Register via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3840\" height=\"2900\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262021150592.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-93414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262021150592.jpg.jpg 3840w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262021150592.jpg.jpg?resize=300,227 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262021150592.jpg.jpg?resize=768,580 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262021150592.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,773 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262021150592.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1160 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262021150592.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1547 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3840px) 100vw, 3840px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Karen Fields holds a picture and flag to honor U.S. Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez as his procession passes by her apartment in Palm Springs, California, on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. (Terry Pierson\/The Orange County Register via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3840\" height=\"2532\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262023452695.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-93420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262023452695.jpg.jpg 3840w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262023452695.jpg.jpg?resize=300,198 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262023452695.jpg.jpg?resize=768,506 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262023452695.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,675 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262023452695.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1013 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21262023452695.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1350 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3840px) 100vw, 3840px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Riverside County, California, sheriff deputies watch monitors showing the memorial service for U.S. Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez outside the Palm Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs, California, Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. (Terry Pierson\/The Orange County Register via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At a memorial service in Palm Springs, California, for Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, mourners noted his final heroic act \u2014 rescuing children from a rioting mob before the blast took his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe died a hero saving the lives of those he did not know,\u201d Riverside County Sheriff\u2019s Lt. Tim Brause said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lopez was part of a special crisis response team sent to provide security and help U.S. State Department officials evacuate thousands of Americans and Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban as the 20-year war drew to a close, the Riverside Press Enterprise reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He had planned to follow in the footsteps of his parents and embark on a career in law enforcement after his military deployment. As a teen, he had been in the Explorer program at the Riverside County Sheriff\u2019s Department, where his mother is a deputy and his father is a captain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur family is overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and condolences we\u2019ve received in the wake of Hunter\u2019s sudden passing,\u201d the parents said in a statement. \u201cPlease know that Hunter wore the United States Marine uniform with love and pride, and it is very apparent that the community will never forget his sacrifice and our family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3840\" height=\"2554\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21261832270388.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-93423\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21261832270388.jpg.jpg 3840w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21261832270388.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21261832270388.jpg.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21261832270388.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,681 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21261832270388.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1022 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21261832270388.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1362 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3840px) 100vw, 3840px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">After the service for fallen Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee, her father, Richard Herrera, left, and husband, Jarod Gee, hold U.S. flags at Bayside Church&#8217;s Adventure Campus in Roseville, California, Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, as her casket is moved to the hearse. (Renee C. Byer\/The Sacramento Bee via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3840\" height=\"2554\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21261832244097.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-93426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21261832244097.jpg.jpg 3840w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21261832244097.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21261832244097.jpg.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21261832244097.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,681 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21261832244097.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1022 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21261832244097.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1362 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3840px) 100vw, 3840px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">After the service for fallen Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee, her father, Richard Herrera, center, and husband, Jarod Gee, right, hold U.S. flags as her casket is moved to the hearse at Bayside Church Adventure Campus in Roseville, California, Saturday Sept. 18, 2021. (Renee C. Byer\/The Sacramento Bee via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Northern California, the aunt of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2021\/08\/29\/slain-marine-who-cradled-baby-at-kabul-airport-loved-her-job-and-more-details-about-those-who-died\/\" target=\"_blank\">Sgt. Nicole Gee<\/a> remarked on the iconic photo of her niece cradling an Afghan baby in her arms. Cheryl Juels told mourners gathered in a Roseville church that the image was taken near the end of a long, sleep-deprived shift, when someone handed Gee a baby to comfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To calm the baby down amid the chaos at the airport, Gee blew softly on the little girl\u2019s face and smiled at her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe loved that she was making a difference, and she honestly would\u2019ve given her life for that one single baby,\u201d Juels said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikou pulled three families to safety and went back to the airport to rescue a child when the bomb went off, according to the pastor at his memorial service.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":93395,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":23,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,23,14,16,26],"tags":[],"coauthors":[1344],"class_list":["post-54070","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-disaster","category-military-honor","category-news","category-newsletters"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"PMVUNVBNXREHTERWAOC2ZMGXRY","arc_canonical_url":"\/military-honor\/faces-the-fallen\/2021\/09\/22\/mourners-in-california-honor-3-marines-killed-in-afghanistan\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Mourners in California honor 3 Marines killed in Afghanistan - Air Force TImes<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikou pulled three families to safety and went back to the airport to rescue a child when the bomb went off, according to the pastor at his memorial service.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mourners in California honor 3 Marines killed in Afghanistan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikou pulled three families to safety and went back to the airport to rescue a child when the bomb went off, according to the pastor at his memorial service.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/disaster\/2021\/09\/22\/mourners-in-california-honor-3-marines-killed-in-afghanistan\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Air Force TImes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-09-22T21:15:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T09:40:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"The Associated Press\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"The Associated Press\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/disaster\\\/2021\\\/09\\\/22\\\/mourners-in-california-honor-3-marines-killed-in-afghanistan\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/disaster\\\/2021\\\/09\\\/22\\\/mourners-in-california-honor-3-marines-killed-in-afghanistan\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"headline\": \"Mourners in California honor 3 Marines killed in Afghanistan\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2021-09-22T21:15:39+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T09:40:08+00:00\",\n\t            \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/disaster\\\/2021\\\/09\\\/22\\\/mourners-in-california-honor-3-marines-killed-in-afghanistan\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"wordCount\": 735,\n\t            \"commentCount\": 0,\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/disaster\\\/2021\\\/09\\\/22\\\/mourners-in-california-honor-3-marines-killed-in-afghanistan\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/AP21261832228923.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"articleSection\": [\n\t                \"Daily News Roundup\",\n\t                \"Disaster | Advertiser Safety\",\n\t                \"Military Honor\",\n\t                \"News\",\n\t                \"Newsletters\"\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"CommentAction\",\n\t                    \"name\": \"Comment\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/disaster\\\/2021\\\/09\\\/22\\\/mourners-in-california-honor-3-marines-killed-in-afghanistan\\\/#respond\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/disaster\\\/2021\\\/09\\\/22\\\/mourners-in-california-honor-3-marines-killed-in-afghanistan\\\/\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/disaster\\\/2021\\\/09\\\/22\\\/mourners-in-california-honor-3-marines-killed-in-afghanistan\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Mourners in California honor 3 Marines killed in Afghanistan - 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