U.S. Army Reserve Soldier Killed in Drone Strike Was Days Away From Coming Home – story-veterans.com

She was a mother of two—a high school senior son and a fourth-grade daughter—who loved spending time outdoors with them. She enjoyed rollerblading, biking, gardening, and cooking. One of her favorite small traditions was making homemade salsa using vegetables from her backyard garden.

The strike that took her life also killed several other American troops, including Cody Khork, 35, of Florida; Noah Tietjens, 42, of Nebraska; and Declan Coady, 20, of Iowa. The Department of Defense has not yet released the names of the remaining two service members who died in the attack.

For Nicole’s family, the loss is especially painful because her return home was only days away. A long-awaited reunion was just around the corner—one that will now never happen.