In the tense atmosphere of conflict, 20-year-old U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Declan Coady spent his final moments in Kuwait sending reassuring messages to his family back home. He aimed to allay their fears amidst the escalating tensions with Iran. However, the comforting flow of updates abruptly ceased, only to be replaced by the dreaded visit from uniformed officers to his parents’ doorstep.
Declan, a student at Drake University from Des Moines, Iowa, tragically lost his life alongside five fellow Army Reserve soldiers. They were victims of an Iranian drone strike at the Port of Shuaiba in Kuwait while engaged in Operation Epic Fury, as confirmed by the Department of War (DoW).
Among the fallen, Declan was the youngest. His journey with the Army Reserve began in 2023, where he served as an information technology specialist, a role that underscored his commitment and skill.
His father, Andrew Coady, shared the heartbreaking news that reached their family early on Sunday morning. Initially, they clung to hope, believing Declan might be safe, especially since he had recently spoken with his brother stationed in Italy earlier that day.
“Declan was just checking in with his brother, given the time difference,” Andrew explained. “He was nine hours ahead of us and two hours ahead of his brother. He kept us updated every one to two hours, saying things like, ‘hey, everything’s still good, I’m good.’ His messages were his way of telling us, ‘don’t worry about me.’”
Despite the tragic loss, his family finds solace in the fact that Declan was thinking of them until the very end, keeping their spirits lifted even in the darkest of times.
Based off information the family received, Andrew said Declan’s operation center was likely hit shortly after he got off the phone with his brother.
“At the time, my wife had sent another message to him … and we didn’t hear back,” Andrew said. “They may not always be able to respond, but I will say most of us started to [worry]. Your gut starts to get a feeling. We go to bed fairly early, so we got ready Sunday night to go to bed, and we had just turned the lights off and went into the bedroom and the doorbell rang at 8 p.m.”
Andrew Coady and his daughter Keira, right, talk about his son, Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa, outside their home, Tuesday, in West Des Moines, Iowa. (Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo)
Declan’s unit deployed to Kuwait in September and was due home in May, according to his father.
“There was a request for the role that he could do and fill, that a new unit was coming in and didn’t have so many in that slot, and if he’d be willing to extend nine more months,” Andrew Coady said. “So we were discussing that, pros and cons. He hadn’t made a decision yet.”
He reminisced about a conversation with his son, where Declan told him that his previous jobs did not compare to the love he had for service.
“But one thing he did say is that, ‘You know, I haven’t had a lot of jobs, but I’ve had jobs in the civilian world. And I’ve been over here for six months and I work 12+ hour days. I work six to seven days a week,’” Andrew said. “And he goes, ‘I love it.’”
This photo provided by Andrew Coady shows his son, Declan Coady, posing for a photo on the day of his graduation at U.S. Army Training Center at Fort Sill, Okla. (Andrew Coady via AP)
His father explained Declan could have continued attending nearby Drake University — where he was studying information systems, cybersecurity and computer science — and commissioned as an officer after graduating from the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC).
However, he decided to redeploy with this unit and continue online classes in Kuwait.
“He kind of planned it out, that he was adamant, like, ‘I’m gonna go with my unit,’” Andrew said.
Just a week before the fatal attack, his father said Declan called him to let him know he was recommended for a promotion from specialist to sergeant, a rank he received posthumously.
The fallen service members were identified as Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Lakeland, Florida; and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of Des Moines, Iowa. Two additional soldiers killed in the attack have not yet been publicly identified. (U.S. Army Reserve Command Press Desk; Fox News)
Declan’s sister, Keira Coady, tearfully remembered the day her brother left for Kuwait, showing reporters photos of him with their family’s pet cat.
“This was the morning before we dropped him off for him to leave,” Keira said. “He was our cat, Autumn’s, favorite. She’d sit in his room while he would game for hours, and beg for attention, and he would give it to her. He’s 20. He was going to be 21 in two months.”
Keira Coady talks about her brother, Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa, outside her home, Tuesday, in West Des Moines, Iowa. (Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo)
Keira said the shock has not yet subsided, explaining, “I still don’t fully think it’s real.”
“I didn’t think it was real when they told us,” Keira said. “I just remember all of our conversations about what he was gonna do when he came back. And so I’ll just be sitting and thinking about it. It’s just, it’s really hard. … I didn’t have the same call this weekend that my dad and like my brother did [with Declan]. I just really wish I got to tell him I love you one more time because he was just so amazing.”
She added her brother was not one to let his emotions show, but she can imagine his fear on the day of the attack.
“I can’t help but think, just, he was my little brother, and he was probably really scared even if he didn’t want people to know,” Keira said. “I wish he could have known one more time that we all loved him because he was so amazing and kind. … He was just like the best little brother you could have.”
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