Nicole Amor killed: Minnesota Senate holds tribute, moment of silence
Nicole Amor killed: Minnesota Senate lawmakers hold tribute
Minnesota Senate lawmakers on Monday held a tribute and moment of silence for Nicole Amor. The White Bear Lake native was one of six U.S. Army Reserve soldiers killed in an attack in Kuwait last week.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - White Bear Lake native Nicole Amor gave her life serving in the military, and last week was killed in Kuwait while with the U.S. Army Reserves during Operation Epic Fury.
Minnesota Senate pays tribute to Nicole Amor
The backstory:
As the state legislature reconvened on Monday, the Minnesota Senate took a moment to hold a remembrance for Amor. Sen. Heather Gustafson (DFL-Vandnais Heights) gave a short speech about Amor before Senate lawmakers held a moment of silence.
In her speech, Gustafson said: "Today we honor Sgt. Nicole Amor. She was a wife, mother of two and a Sergeant first class of the United States Army Reserve who lived in White Bear Lake. In a town like White Bear Lake, news like this travels pretty fast. In the early moments of receiving the news of her death, many people reached out to me to say ‘I went to school with her, I know her kids, I graduated with her, she was my neighbor.’ So far seven U.S. soldiers have been killed in this conflict, and last week, Sgt. Amor was among six Americans killed while serving our country in Kuwait. Sgt. Amor had served our nation for many years, she was 39 years old, a mother of two and balanced family life at home with a commitment to serve something greater than herself. She was almost home. She loved gardening, and the quiet moments of life, that was a place where she found peace and joy. Nicole served our nation with courage and dedication, and moments like this remind us of the true cost of service. Today we offer our deepest respect for her service, and our prayers for her husband, her children, her family and her fellow service members who are carrying this loss."
Dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base
Why you should care:
The remains of six service members killed in a drone strike in Kuwait returned to U.S. soil on Sunday, including Minnesota's own Sgt. First Class Nicole Amor.
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance attended the ceremony at Dover Air Force Base. The soldiers' remains were carried one by one in a dignified transfer. Minnesota Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith were also present to honor the fallen.
Sen. Klobuchar expressed admiration for Amor's family, saying, "They were as strong as you can be, everything from taking care of little Addie to being really polite to so many people."
Sen. Tina Smith offered her condolences to Amor’s family, noting the solemnity of the moment. "It's a very solemn moment where leaders come together, especially from the states that have lost people," said Smith.
Amor was a wife and mother, leaving behind a high school senior and a fourth grader. She was known for her love of gardening, rollerblading, and bicycling with her kids. Her death came as a shock, as she was stationed in what was considered a safe area in Kuwait.
Minnesota flags ordered at half-staff
Dig deeper:
Last week, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ordered all U.S. and Minnesota flags to fly at half-staff at all state buildings until sunset on the day of interment for Sgt. First Class Nicole Amor.
She was one of six U.S. service members killed by an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait on March 1, just a day after the U.S. and Israel launched its military campaign against Iran, which launched retaliatory strikes.
The attack is still under investigation by the U.S. Department of War.