Alabama airman killed in Iraq crash leaves behind 7-month-old twins and 2-year-old son, widow says: ‘Our world shattered’ | EUROtoday

The widow of an Alabama airman killed when a U.S. refueling plane crashed in western Iraq final week says her household’s “world shattered” after studying he was aboard the doomed plane.

Major Alex Klinner, 33, left behind 7-month-old twins and a 2-year-old son when the KC-135 Stratotanker he and 5 different crew members had been aboard Thursday to assist the U.S. struggle towards Iran crashed, his brother-in-law James Harrill instructed the Associated Press.

“On March 12, our world shattered,” his spouse, Libby, wrote on Instagram. “I’m devastated to lose the best person I know, the person that made everything more fun, my best friend.”

Klinner, who graduated from Auburn University in 2016, was promoted to main months earlier, and had solely been deployed for a couple of week when he died.

“My heart is broken for our three kids who will grow up not knowing him,” Libby wrote on Instagram.

His grief-stricken spouse famous their three youngsters gained’t get to “see how goofy and funny he was.”

“They won’t witness his selflessness, the way he thought about everyone else before himself,” she added. “They won’t get to feel the deep love he had for them. … He was an incredible person and husband, but he was the best dad.”

Klinner served within the Air Force for eight years; his sister-in-law, Sarah Rose Harrill, wrote on a GoFundMe that had obtained greater than 1 million in donations as of Sunday morning.

“Alex was more than a serviceman,” she wrote. “He was a devoted husband, a loving father, and the kind of person who would quietly step in to help anyone who needed it. He embodied what it means to be a servant leader. His loss has left an immeasurable void in the lives of all who knew and loved him.”

He was additionally remembered as an avid outdoorsman who liked mountain climbing and serving to others.

“Alex was one of those guys that had this steady command about him,” Harrill instructed the AP. “He was literally one of the most kindest, giving people.”

All six crew members aboard the plane died when it crashed over Iraq on Thursday. The incident concerned two plane in “friendly airspace” throughout President Donald Trump’s Operation Epic Fury, in keeping with U.S. Central Command.

Military officers careworn that the crash was “not due to hostile or friendly fire,” and that the opposite aircraft landed safely. The circumstances surrounding the crash remained unclear Sunday.

The different airmen on board had been recognized as Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky; Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Moorseville, Indiana; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio.

Klinner, Savino and Pruitt had been assigned to the sixth Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. Meanwhile, Koval, Angst and Simmons had been assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing At Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio.

“Alex, Ashley, and Ariana are, and always will be members of the 117th family,” Col. Mike Adams, 117th Air Refueling Wing commander, stated in an announcement. “Even though they were not members of the Air National Guard, to us they will always be remembered as Vulcan refuelers and Alabamians.”

Members of the 121st Air Refueling Wing in Ohio stated on Facebook they share “sorrow of their loved ones, and we must not forget the valuable contributions these Airmen made to their country and the impact they have left on our organization.”

Simmons served as a increase operator who transferred gas from the tanker to the receiving plane, in keeping with his Air Force biography.

The 28-year-old service member’s mom, Cheryl Simmons, stated Saturday that the household was making funeral preparations for her son.

“Tyler’s smile could light up any room, his strong presence would fill it. His parents, grandparents, family and friends are grief-stricken for the loss of life,” Simmons’ household stated in an announcement to WCMH-TV in Columbus.

Koval was an plane commander of 19 years. He graduated from Purdue University and served within the Indiana National Guard earlier than transferring to the Ohio-based unit in 2017, in keeping with his Air Force biography.

Angst was a pilot with 10 years of service who graduated from the University of Cincinnati, in keeping with his Air Force biography.

A retired fighter pilot who labored alongside Savino remembered her as a “good human” who “smiled every time she came into my office,” KOMO News reported.

Savino graduated from Central Washington University in 2017 and earned her energetic obligation fee via the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps.

The 31-year-old turned a pilot throughout the Air Force in 2025. She deployed twice, as soon as in 2020 and as soon as in 2026, in keeping with the report.

The crash brings the U.S. demise toll from Operation Epic Fury to not less than 13 service members. The seven different service members killed died in fight.

Additionally, about 140 service members have been injured within the struggle, the Pentagon stated final week.

Meanwhile, not less than 1,348 civilians have been killed in Iran because the struggle started final month, the nation instructed the United Nations final week. Officials in Lebanon stated 826 individuals have been killed, and not less than 12 have been killed in Israel.