Gold Star Families Reflect On Veterans Day With Stories Of Service And Sacrifice

The following is an edited transcript of an interview between Daily Wire host Georgia Howe and three Gold Star family members — Alicia Lopez, Christy Shamblin, and Steve Nikoui — who lost their loved ones in an explosion at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan. Catch all three interviews on a special Sunday Edition of Morning Wire.

On August 26, 2021, at a little before 6:00pm local time, a blast from a suicide bomb outside Abbey Gate in Kabul, Afghanistan, killed at least 182 people, including 169 Afghan civilians and 13 members of the United States military. In this Veterans Day episode we speak to Gold Star family members about that day, their sacrifice, and what makes them hopeful about America’s future.

In honor of Veterans Day, Gold Star families of three fallen service members share heartfelt reflections on the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal and express renewed hope under President Donald Trump’s leadership. For more Veterans Day stories, check out our Memorial Day episode which features first hand accounts from World War II veterans.

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GEORGIA: Joining me now is Alicia Lopez. Alicia lost her son, Captain Hunter Lopez, three years ago on August 26. Alicia, before we begin, on behalf of all of us at Morning Wire, I want to first offer my condolences and thank your family for your sacrifice. 

ALICIA: Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

GEORGIA: Becoming a Gold Star family member, that’s both an honor but also a tremendous loss. Most people are never going to fully understand what you’ve been through. Can you just tell us what that experience is like?

ALICIA: Becoming a Gold Star family is not a group that anybody chooses to be a part of but unfortunately, with all the wars that go on, it’s bound to happen and there’s bound to be Gold Star families out there. I take it as a responsibility to have to tell my son’s story and try to get the government and the people that are in charge of our men and women in the military to learn from mistakes that occur so that they don’t occur again. And so that we don’t have more Gold Star families.

GEORGIA: Now, our listeners have a little bit of background about your son’s story, but would you share with us what happened to Hunter?

ALICIA: Yes. On August 26, 2021, my son, along with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, were at the Abbey Gate in Kabul, Afghanistan. They had received warnings of a possible bomber, possibly from a vehicle, as possible retaliation from the Taliban. They continued to screen people and to save Americans and allies and interpreters and try to get them across that gate before the gate actually closed. We hadn’t spoken to Hunter probably for about a day before the actual incident. When we did speak with him, he told us about the horrific scenes that were being played out. The women and the children that were being exposed to conditions that were not suited for even an animal. However, there was a bombing and it took the lives of our 13 kids and injured hundreds of others.

GEORGIA: Now, you decided to campaign for President Trump. What was it about his message that you felt resonated with your mission that you described earlier?

ALICIA: We didn’t set out to campaign for President Trump. When my son passed away three years ago, our family was very silent about what happened in the request that we had asked the president. So, we had been asked to do several interviews about how we felt about Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and their decisions that they made that caused our children’s deaths. As a family, we had decided that we wouldn’t speak on the matter till we gave the administration ample time and ability to come and tell us what actually happened to our son. Fast forward two years and we received a report that was incomplete and hiding things from us, from all the families. It went so far as to tell the Marines who were there and who had told their story that their accounts of the incident were incorrect. They were told that they couldn’t remember exactly what happened because of the traumatic brain injuries that they had received during the bombing. We, again, continued to push forward and try to get answers, and in essence, the door was shut in our face and we weren’t giving any answers other than what was written in this report. Within those two years, we had a Gold Star parent that lives in Utah and he met the attorney general from Utah and they began to discuss trying to find ways to get into Congress, to try to get them to reopen the investigation of our children’s deaths. With their help, we were able to get our first meeting in Congress and we were able to push several congressmen to open up an investigation. That’s when they started to interview most of the Marines again and to try to find answers. Within that timeframe, President Trump had reached out to us and essentially told us that he is very sorry for what had happened to our child and that he would essentially do anything in his power to try to get the truth for us. And that’s when we decided that this man had come forward and spoken to us and essentially told us that he would find the answers — or get the answers — to what happened to our children and was the only president that ever reached out. Joe Biden had spoken to me at the dignified transfer and he didn’t even have the decency to get my name correct. We had asked the White House several times for them to meet with some of the families and they never responded. So here we have an opportunity to speak one-on-one with President Trump. And we took it and it’s hard to explain the meeting, especially when it comes to somebody being the president and being so busy, right? With everything that was being thrown at him, for him to actually take the time to listen to us and to hear our stories and to remember them down the road was impressive to me and also spoke a lot about his character.

Gold Star families of US military members who were killed at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan in August 2021 speak during the third day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 17, 2024. (Photo by Pedro UGARTE / AFP) (Photo by PEDRO UGARTE/AFP via Getty Images)

GEORGIA: This past summer, speaking at the RNC, a lot of people shared that they felt that the Gold Star families who spoke at the RNC were the most powerful speakers. Are you hopeful now, going forward, with a Trump administration?

ALICIA: Yeah, absolutely. My family is a family of service. Both my husband and I worked for the sheriff’s department. I have a son currently serving in the Army. Hunter obviously lost his life serving, so when this presidency came up and we knew how Kamala Harris and Joe Biden had let my son down and had let the other 12 children down, I knew that, if they were to remain in office for an additional four years, the possibility of getting another knock on my door was very high. So we decided to speak at the RNC, not only for my son, but for my son that was currently serving and for all the sons and daughters out there. So that their parents don’t have to go through that. It’s scary that you’re not able to protect your child. And when they sign up into the military, you leave that protection to the government. And when they don’t do a good job at that, it just makes you wonder what people think of the military.

GEORGIA: Alicia, thank you so much for coming on and taking the time to speak with our listeners. Our listener base is extremely supportive of military families like yours, so they are really going to appreciate your story.

ALICIA: Thank you. I try to do it without crying, but it’s hard. We pushed to get President Trump elected because of all the sons and daughters that are currently serving. And this current administration could care less what happens to them. I guess I was relieved that my son, although he trains for war, the chances of him going to war are a little less now.

GEORGIA: Well, Alicia, thank you so much. I understand it must be extremely emotional to discuss these things, so we are so appreciative that you took the time.

ALICIA: Well, thank you so much. And thank you to the listeners, for listening to a mom.

Morning Wire also spoke to Christy Shamblin. Christy lost her daughter-in-law, Marine Sergeant Nicole Gee. Shamblin now speaks out on behalf of Gee’s mother who passed away in 2019.

GEORGIA: Christy, I want to thank you for coming on. First off, on behalf of everyone here at Morning Wire, I want to thank you and your family for your service. 

CHRISTY: Well, thank you very much for having me, and I appreciate that very much.

GEORGIA: Now, tell us a little bit about your daughter-in-law Nicole’s story. 

CHRISTY: My son and daughter-in-law were an active duty Marine Corps couple in North Carolina, stationed at [Camp] Lejeune. She deployed, he did not. And, in a way, I can only see that God saw fit to work in my life. I was with him the day he was notified that she was killed in action and it started a two month whirlwind of what that experience is. And unfortunately, her mama passed away in 2019. So, she didn’t have somebody to speak for her in that capacity, and I’m happy to do that. In life, Nicole was a spirit of positive mental attitude. She really, truly believed in being positive and putting forth your best effort every single day. And I’m just trying to do that in her spirit and getting our leadership and our politicians to make sure that our men and women in uniform are safer.

GEORGIA: Now, you mentioned at the top that you’re very hopeful that there will be fewer families who have to go through this with a Trump presidency, and you also actively campaigned for President Trump and ended up speaking at the RNC. Tell us a little bit about your decision to support President Trump. What was it about his message that made you feel like he was the best commander-in-chief to protect our military?

CHRISTY: It’s come as a surprise to me to be campaigning for President Trump. Meeting him — gosh, it’s almost been two years ago now — we met with him as a group. We have a group of parents, we’ve called ourselves the Abbey Gate Coalition, and we’re actively trying to make changes so that our military is safer. And he asked if we’d like to come meet with him when he heard that the White House had not responded to our request for a meeting and we did meet with him. We went in with really no expectations and walked away just being wowed by the empathy and willingness to listen to our concerns and share in a problem solving path forward. And it was a shock. And he’s continued to do that. We have had communication with him, and his team of course and the empathy that he feels for all of our men and women in uniform has really been felt by our family.

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP

GEORGIA: Were you involved in politics prior to this or was it just that day that got you thinking about it?

CHRISTY: No, it was that day that got me thinking about it. I had been to Washington a few times when they had hearings and things. I would go and sit in the hearings just to get information. I was just interested in information at that time and there’s just not a lot of people in Washington who have the time for common, everyday people, and I feel like I wasn’t able to get a lot of attention. But the people that did were veterans and it was very encouraging to me, so I know that we have good people there, there are more coming in, and I couldn’t be more excited with that.

GEORGIA: Is your son still on active duty?

CHRISTY: No, ma’am, he is medically retired and using his VA benefits in school right now.

GEORGIA: Last question for you. The theme of Veterans Day in 2024 is centered on “A Legacy of Loyalty and Service.” Does that feel like it resonates with you and your family? 

CHRISTY: Absolutely. All of our armed services just have my heart. I did not serve, myself. It’s been my children, and to watch the community they share in, they’re Marines, but I feel like all services have that camaraderie and they are a proud and loyal group of people, group of Americans, and they deserve our respect and honor. And Veterans Day is always a great reminder of that, and I hope that people can remember that on Veterans Day.

GEORGIA: Well, I’ll just let you know, our audience is very supportive of veterans and of military families, and they really are going to be appreciative of you taking the time to share your story. So thank you so much.

CHRISTY: Thank you very much. I appreciate that. Thank you very much.

Lastly, we spoke to Steve Nikoui, father of fallen Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui. Steve Nikoui was arrested by capitol police (but later released) in march of this year for interrupting President Biden’s State of the Union speech when the president failed to acknowledge the men and women who died on his watch in Afghanistan.

GEORGIA: Steve, thank you so much for coming on today. I just want to say on behalf of our show, thank you for your sacrifice and for your family’s service.

STEVE: Well, thank you Georgia for having me on. And thank you for acknowledging Kareem’s sacrifice and service.

GEORGIA: Now first, tell us a little bit about your experience losing your son in action. What is that like?

STEVE: Well, obviously, losing your child is rough for everyone. It happens to hundreds of people, thousands of people every day. But to lose them in the capacity that we lost our kids in is extremely different in a high profile event where the administration of the United States government failed to properly execute the evacuation in which our kids were lost. That’s one thing. And then to have to fight to have your kids’s honor and sacrifice recognized by that same administration for the next three years — that is like pulling the scab off of the wound almost every day. So, initially it was devastating because of the horrible news and everything that came with it. But then, after trying to get the honor and sacrifice for our kids the years following, the three years following, that was also excruciating.

GEORGIA: I understand there was very little information at first about that day, but what do you now know about the day Kareem died?

STEVE: Yeah, so, he was one of the 13 that were killed at the Abbey Gate. He was actually standing right next to Rylee McCollum, one of his best friends. They were both on the wall and directly across from the bomber. So, talk about the blunt of the of the blast. Him and Rylee were the ones that really took it because they were right across from him. My son was a born again Christian and he felt that he was doing God’s work there. All those kids, everyone who was there, was there because they felt like they were doing something for mankind, doing something greater than themselves, and that’s what drove them to go out there every day and do it.

Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

GEORGIA: Now, you famously interrupted President Biden’s State of the Union speech this year, almost three years after your son’s death. What moved you to do that?

STEVE: Well, I’ve seen in the past that when something like this would happen that they would have been honored in the very first State of the Union and that didn’t happen. President Biden chose to honor his son and his son’s sacrifice instead. And after watching for three years, all these State of the Unions where he never mentions our kids names, the Holy Spirit convicted me to stand up and say my son’s name and his rank at that State of the Union.

GEORGIA: Now, in light of this most recent election that we just came out of a few days ago, are you feeling hopeful? How are you feeling now?

STEVE: I am so glad. Obviously, nothing’s going to bring our kids back, but I can almost guarantee that these same circumstances won’t happen to anyone else for the next four years, and that’s something. I’m very honored that I was there to help, in whatever capacity it was, however minor or minuscule it was, and that this type of event, this catastrophe won’t happen again.

GEORGIA: So, the theme for Veterans Day 2024 is, “A Legacy of Loyalty and Service.” Does that resonate with you and your family this year?

STEVE: Not so much the legacy, but the service part. You know, I’m hoping that more kids will join the armed services. We have the all-time low right now of kids enlisting. And I hope with Donald J. Trump being president that that will be overcome and a lot more kids will defend our nation and give their sacrifice and service to this country.

GEORGIA: That’s very powerful coming from someone who’s lost a child, that you are still encouraging people to step into that situation. 

STEVE: Yeah, I appreciate that. Well, someone has to do it, right? We don’t want to force our kids to. It’s a volunteer military, so we would like to keep that. In order for kids to do it, to honor that, they have to feel like, “Hey, I’m going to be taken care of and I’m going to be safe” and their parents as well, right? So how many kids haven’t joined the armed services because their parents don’t want them to, because they’re not really happy with the administration that they had? Hopefully, with Donald J. Trump, now that will all change. 

GEORGIA: All right, Steve, thank you so much for making time for us. We really appreciate your story.

STEVE: Thank you guys. God bless you so much.

GEORGIA: That was Steve Nikoui, father of fallen Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui. Earlier we heard from Alicia Lopez, mother of fallen Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez, and Christy Shamblin, mother-in-law of fallen Marine Sergeant Nicole Gee. Catch all three interviews on a special Sunday episode of Morning Wire.