Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, a 39-year-old mother of two from White Bear Lake, Minnesota, was days away from returning home when a drone strike in Kuwait killed her and five other U.S. service members. Her husband, Joey Amor, said, “She was almost home. You don’t go to Kuwait thinking something’s going to happen, and for her to be one of the first – it hurts.”
Amor served in the Army Reserve’s 103rd Sustainment Command, which provides food, fuel, water, and ammunition to U.S. forces. She had previously deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019 and transferred from the National Guard to the Army Reserve in 2006. Her awards included the Army Commendation Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with an “M” device.
Joey Amor said a week before the strike Nicole had been moved into a shipping container–style building with no defenses after forces dispersed to reduce risk. He last spoke with her about two hours before the attack; they exchanged messages about long shifts and a minor fall the night before, and she did not respond that morning.
Off duty, Nicole loved gardening, making salsa with her teen son, and rollerblading and biking with her fourth-grade daughter. Joey remembered her generosity: “If you needed anything, she would just take care of it for you. She’s helped a lot of people through a lot of dark times, and brought a lot of light to this world.”
Her death comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following U.S. and Israeli operations against Iran. The attack also killed Capt. Cody Khork of Florida, Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens of Nebraska, and Sgt. Declan Coady of Iowa. Joey has shared memories of their family life on social media, including a post from last November: “Even while you are on the other side of the world, you found a way to make my birthday special. I love you!”
Nicole Amor’s legacy as a loving wife, mother, and dedicated soldier endures in the hearts of her husband and children, who now face life without her presence.
