This text is a part of a Fox Information Digital sequence inspecting the implications of the U.S. army withdrawal from Afghanistan one yr in the past this week.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. — Dylan Merola was excited to go Afghanistan, the Marine’s grandfather advised Fox Information. The 20-year-old lance corporal had watched movies of the chaotic withdrawal and needed to assist individuals escape to security.

It was the final dialog Warren Matsuoka had together with his grandson. Merola was killed within the August 2021 suicide bomb assault on the Kabul airport.

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Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola was one of many 13 service members killed by a suicide bomber on the Kabul airport in August 2021.
(Deborah Gembara/Mana Rabiee)

“If Dylan was right here as we speak, I’d inform him how proud I’m of him for simply having the braveness to hitch the Marine Corps,” Merola’s mom, Cheryl Rex, advised Fox Information.

‘Stay like Dylan’

Merola grew up smiling, at all times dreaming of following household custom and becoming a member of the army.

“Rising up, Dylan was a really pleased baby,” Rex advised Fox Information. “He by no means let something actually trouble him. He was at all times smiling and caring in direction of all people round him.”

Merola’s grandmother, Clarinda Matsuoka, stated the California native at all times cherished the army and dreamed of being within the armed forces.

“Rising up realizing that it’s God and Nation, that was the place he laid his ideas,” she advised Fox Information. “He was very enthralled with each side of the armed companies.”

Merola grew up wanting to hitch the army, his household says.
(Household of Dylan Merola)

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“I keep in mind him operating round together with his little Nerf weapons considering he was a soldier,” Clarinda Matsuoka added. “He simply would giggle, and he goes, ‘in the future I’ll be within the service.'”

Merola insisted on becoming a member of the army earlier than going to varsity. He met with a recruiter when he was 17.

“Becoming a member of the Marine Corps modified my son from being that baby to turning right into a younger man,” Rex advised Fox Information. After boot camp, “he got here out a totally completely different particular person.”

Warren Matsuoka stated Merola’s commencement from boot camp was a “defining second.”

“He had a course to enter, he had a function,” Warren advised Fox Information. “He knew what he needed to do, and he carried himself lots otherwise.”

Rex recalled: “He was so proud. We have been all so proud.”

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Merola spent his final moments serving to a toddler get to security earlier than being killed by the ISIS-Okay suicide bomber, the Marine’s mom says.
(Household of Dylan Merola)

Merola was deployed in Jordan when he acquired discover he was being despatched to Afghanistan to assist with the U.S. troop withdrawal President Biden ordered.

“He was actually excited to get the chance to go there, however we have been all very involved,” Warren Matsuoka stated, recalling the ultimate time he spoke with Merola.

Rex stated: “He was so excited to go assist numerous different individuals to freedom and to security.”

An ISIS-Okay terrorist detonated a suicide bomb at Hamid Karzai Worldwide Airport on Aug. 26, 2021. Merola and 12 extra U.S. service members have been killed within the blast, together with 170 Afghan civilians.

Rex stated Merola had solely been within the space for about 20 minutes earlier than the explosion. She shared her son’s last moments.

“He was bending over, selecting up a toddler to security,” Rex stated.

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Clarinda Matsuoka stated her grandson needed others to expertise America’s freedoms.

Merola and his group “needed to present individuals that chance to come back to America and dwell like him,” she advised Fox Information.

“That is why we are saying ‘dwell like Dylan,’” she stated.