Permanent Norco memorial honors 13 fallen U.S. service members killed in Kabul in Aug. 2021
Dozens of people on Saturday gathered at a memorial site in Norco to commemorate the 13 fallen U.S. military members killed on Aug. 26, 2021, during a suicide bombing at Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, including hometown hero Marine Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui.
A property owner donated space in Norco for a permanent memorial to the fallen soldiers, a place that serves as a reminder of the sacrifice the men and women made in the service to the country.
"It made me feel really good to see that people are still showing their support for Kareem and showing that Kareem and his 12 fallen brothers and sisters are not forgotten," Nikoui's mother, Shana Chappell, said.
Chappell said that her son's dream was to be a Marine and serve his country. Family friends remember him in much the same way, saying that service was a calling for the young man.
"He was living his dream. He was proud to be a Marine," family friend Marta Barreto said. "He deserves to still be here. He deserves to still be with his community and his family. The loss is just so tremendous."
People traveled from other parts of the state to show their support for the 13 service members.
"I cannot imagine what she's going through," 29 Palms resident Katrina Day said Nikoui's mother. "But being a military family, it's so easy to feel for her. I think that's why we came. We came with a lot of Marines from 29 Palms just to show her that we're with her."
Chappell shared the tragic ripple effects of the tragic of the devastating attack and the loss of her son. On August 9 of this year, she also lost her oldest son, 28-year-old Dakota Halverson.
"The death of Kareem became too much for him and he wanted to be with Kareem, so he took his life," she said.
The mother is now grieving the loss of two sons, along with knowing that 12 other families are also still in mourning. Chappell said she believes it's important to remember these brave men and women.
"To keep in mind that freedom isn't free. People pay with their lives," she said.
