Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, a devoted mother of two from White Bear Lake, Minnesota, was days away from returning home when a drone strike in Kuwait claimed her life along with five other U.S. service members.
Her husband, Joey Amor, described the heartbreak, saying, “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.”
Nicole Amor, 39, served with the Army Reserve’s 103rd Sustainment Command, a unit that helps ensure U.S. troops receive food, fuel, water, and ammunition. She had previously deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019 and transferred from the National Guard to the Army Reserve in 2006. Her decorations included the Army Commendation Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with the “M” Device.
Joey Amor said that a week before the strike, Nicole had been moved into a shipping container–style building with no defenses after leadership dispersed personnel because they feared the base would be attacked. He last spoke with her about two hours before she was killed, exchanging messages about her long shifts and a minor fall the prior night; she did not respond that morning.
Beyond her military service, Nicole loved gardening, making salsa with her teen son, and rollerblading and biking with her fourth-grade daughter. Joey reflected on 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 military actions involving Iran. The attack also claimed the lives of Capt. Cody Khork of Florida, Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens of Nebraska, and Sgt. Declan Coady of Iowa.
Mourning his wife’s sudden death, Joey has shared glimpses of their family life on social media. In a post last November he wrote, “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 survives in the hearts of Joey and their children as they begin to navigate life without her.