A family in Columbus, Ohio, is mourning after their loved one was named among the six airmen killed in a U.S. military aircraft crash in western Iraq last week.
On Thursday, March 12, Tech Sgt. Tyler Simmons died when the KC-135 Stratotanker he was on went down while supporting operations in the region, according to his family. He was 28.
Before there was an official announcement of the names of the service members who were killed, his parents, Cheryl and Milo Simmons, spoke out the following day, on Friday, March 13, about how they learned the devastating news.
Speaking to 10 WBNS, his parents said there was a knock at their door at approximately 10 p.m. that same night. They said they instantly knew what had happened when they saw military officials lined up on their porch.
“When he opened the door, he said, ‘Oh no,’ and I jumped up and ran in there, and they were lined up out on the porch,” Cheryl recalled before becoming overcome with emotion. “And I was like, ‘You got to be kidding me.’”
Milo told The Columbus Dispatch, “We’re still in denial.”
Simmons, who was one of three service members from Ohio killed in the crash, was a technical sergeant and boom operator with the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base and was part of Operation Epic Fury at the time of his death. U.S. Central Command said the crash happened at around 2 p.m. ET following an unspecified incident involving another KC-135 in “friendly airspace.” The other aircraft landed without incident. The military has also confirmed the crash was not caused by hostile or friendly fire.
The Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing confirmed the three deaths on its Facebook page. They have since posted tributes to all of the service members.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the tragic news of the passing of three Airmen from the 121st Air Refueling Wing,” the post said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, and fellow Airmen who mourn their loss.”
In the wake of the crash, many across the country have expressed outrage about the escalating U.S.–Israel conflict with Iran impacting the region, including the families of fallen service members.
In the wake of his death, Simmons’ family is remembering him as a “loving” only child with a bright smile, his smile punctuated by his mother’s dimples, who served with genuine pride. He maintained a deep love for his friends and family and has left behind lots of footage of him taking in adult skate nights at a local roller rink, per WSYX ABC 6.
“He was truly an amazing man, and to do the job as an air refueler, you have to be a special person. You have to be kinda smart to do that,” his mother shared with 10 WBNS. “He was loving. He loved his dog Grayson, he loved his family, his friends, his friend Shayna — you know, he’s just that guy. He would do anything for you.”
He graduated from Eastmoor Academy in Columbus, where he played quarterback on the football team, per the outlets. He had long aspired to join the military and enlisted in April 2018. He was later assigned to the Ohio National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing, which is based at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base near Lockbourne, Ohio.
“He was determined. He was a leader, and he wanted to go to the Air Force and make a difference,” Simmons’ cousin Stephan Douglas told The Columbus Dispatch. “This was his dream job, and for this to happen, it’s just a sad tragedy.”
The family said there are no immediate funeral plans and that the military is handling the arrangements.
