Family, friends and members of the public gathered at a church in Riverside Saturday morning to say farewell to a local hero who was killed in a bombing during the evacuation at Afghanistan's Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul last month.
They came to give Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, of Norco, a final salute during a memorial service at the Harvest Christian Fellowship Saturday morning.
The 20-year-old was one of four California Marines killed in the attack during the airport evacuation operation in Kabul on Aug. 26, just days before the planned withdrawal of U.S. troops. A total of 13 U.S. service members were killed in the bombing.
Speaking to a crowd in the nearly full auditorium, Shyler Chappell, Nikoui's sister, shared how "Kareem had been talking about becoming a Marine for as long as I can remember."
"He was so excited for his job, he was so proud to deploy," she said.
Chappell said she learned about how her brother went back inside the Kabul airport to save three families and pull children to safety.
"It didn't surprise me that those were his last moments, as he had sent our family group chat videos of him talking to the children there," she said.
Steve Nikoui, the Marine's father, also spoke during the service, choking up as he shared stories about his son.
"For me, my relationship with him was really good," Nikoui's father said. "I let him get away with so much, to the extent that others would be jealous and be upset."
Sourced from: KTLA 5
They came to give Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, of Norco, a final salute during a memorial service at the Harvest Christian Fellowship Saturday morning.
The 20-year-old was one of four California Marines killed in the attack during the airport evacuation operation in Kabul on Aug. 26, just days before the planned withdrawal of U.S. troops. A total of 13 U.S. service members were killed in the bombing.
Speaking to a crowd in the nearly full auditorium, Shyler Chappell, Nikoui's sister, shared how "Kareem had been talking about becoming a Marine for as long as I can remember."
"He was so excited for his job, he was so proud to deploy," she said.
Chappell said she learned about how her brother went back inside the Kabul airport to save three families and pull children to safety.
"It didn't surprise me that those were his last moments, as he had sent our family group chat videos of him talking to the children there," she said.
Steve Nikoui, the Marine's father, also spoke during the service, choking up as he shared stories about his son.
"For me, my relationship with him was really good," Nikoui's father said. "I let him get away with so much, to the extent that others would be jealous and be upset."
Sourced from: KTLA 5
Family, friends and members of the public gathered at a church in Riverside Saturday morning to say farewell to a local hero who was killed in a bombing during the evacuation at Afghanistan's Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul last month.
They came to give Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, of Norco, a final salute during a memorial service at the Harvest Christian Fellowship Saturday morning.
The 20-year-old was one of four California Marines killed in the attack during the airport evacuation operation in Kabul on Aug. 26, just days before the planned withdrawal of U.S. troops. A total of 13 U.S. service members were killed in the bombing.
Speaking to a crowd in the nearly full auditorium, Shyler Chappell, Nikoui's sister, shared how "Kareem had been talking about becoming a Marine for as long as I can remember."
"He was so excited for his job, he was so proud to deploy," she said.
Chappell said she learned about how her brother went back inside the Kabul airport to save three families and pull children to safety.
"It didn't surprise me that those were his last moments, as he had sent our family group chat videos of him talking to the children there," she said.
Steve Nikoui, the Marine's father, also spoke during the service, choking up as he shared stories about his son.
"For me, my relationship with him was really good," Nikoui's father said. "I let him get away with so much, to the extent that others would be jealous and be upset."
Sourced from: KTLA 5
They came to give Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, of Norco, a final salute during a memorial service at the Harvest Christian Fellowship Saturday morning.
The 20-year-old was one of four California Marines killed in the attack during the airport evacuation operation in Kabul on Aug. 26, just days before the planned withdrawal of U.S. troops. A total of 13 U.S. service members were killed in the bombing.
Speaking to a crowd in the nearly full auditorium, Shyler Chappell, Nikoui's sister, shared how "Kareem had been talking about becoming a Marine for as long as I can remember."
"He was so excited for his job, he was so proud to deploy," she said.
Chappell said she learned about how her brother went back inside the Kabul airport to save three families and pull children to safety.
"It didn't surprise me that those were his last moments, as he had sent our family group chat videos of him talking to the children there," she said.
Steve Nikoui, the Marine's father, also spoke during the service, choking up as he shared stories about his son.
"For me, my relationship with him was really good," Nikoui's father said. "I let him get away with so much, to the extent that others would be jealous and be upset."
Sourced from: KTLA 5
