Brother of Marine blown up during Afghanistan withdrawal kills himself near memorial

A grieving brother of one of many Marines blown up by a suicide bomber throughout final yr’s chaotic exit from Afghanistan has killed himself subsequent to a public memorial to his youthful sibling, his mother revealed.

Dakota Halverson, 28, died by suicide in California simply days shy of the anniversary of the assault that killed his brother, Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, 20, and a dozen different US troops at Kabul airport as terrified Afghans tried to flee the Taliban.

Within the run-up to his demise, Dakota had “been speaking lots currently about how he simply desires to be with Kareem, how a lot he misses him,” the lads’s mom, Shana Chappell, advised mates.

“This morning my son Dakota went to be with His brother Kareem,” she wrote final Tuesday.

In a follow-up publish, the grieving mother blamed her newest loss on the “ripple impact” of the lethal US withdrawal, which she beforehand blamed on President “Biden’s negligence, ignorance and him being a traitor.”

Shana Chappell mentioned her son, Dakota Halverson, 28, killed himself close to the anniversary of his brother, Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, getting blown up in Afghanistan.

Fb / Shana Chappell

Shana Chappell detailed her second loss in a harrowing publish that blamed it on the “ripple impact” of President Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Earlier than his demise final week, “Dakota had been expressing among the issues that had been bothering him and a kind of issues was the lack of his brother Kareem and the way he simply wished to be with him once more,” their mother wrote.

“He was nonetheless having a tough time believing he was really gone.

“He’d sneak into the cemetery at night time and sleep on Kareem’s resting place. He took his life throughout from a everlasting memorial we've right here on the town for his brother Kareem,” she wrote.

Dakota Halverson was “having a tough time believing” his brother “was really gone,” and “simply wished to be with him once more,” their mother mentioned.

Fb / Shana Chappell

Earlier than his demise, Dakota Halverson would “sneak into the cemetery at night time and sleep on Kareem’s resting place,” mentioned the mother, pictured earlier at her Marine’s son’s grave with different relations.

Fb / Shana Chappell

An internet fundraiser has collected greater than $37,500 to assist Shana Chappell bury son Dakota Halverson subsequent to the grave of his brother, Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui.

Fb / Shana Chappell

The mother gave the impression to be referring to a memorial backyard in Norco dedicated to the “Fallen 13” that was revealed earlier this yr. Nevertheless, he additionally has a memorial stone on the cemetery the place he's buried, and final month, the city’s publish workplace was renamed the Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui Memorial Publish Workplace in his honor.

“I’m not gonna make this a political publish however that is the ripple impact!” wrote the mother, who beforehand mentioned she was censored on-line for her criticism of Biden.

“Now my children have misplaced one other brother. My household has misplaced one other loving member of the family and Dakota’s mates have misplaced a real buddy!

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Shana Chappell beforehand blamed President “Biden’s negligence, ignorance and him being a traitor” for the demise of her Marine son, Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui.

Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui was one of many 13 US service members killed throughout a suicide bombing at Kabul airport almost a yr in the past.

AP

“I’m nonetheless in shock over this and actually when the shock wears off i don’t understand how i'm gonna pull by this,” she wrote, including hashtags for suicide consciousness.

“My CoCo and my Kareemy, i really like you each a lot!” she wrote.

In a web-based fundraiser, Chappell once more mentioned that “shedding his brother almost one yr in the past has confirmed too tough to bear for Dakota.”

As of Monday morning, wellwishers had donated greater than $37,500 to assist bury him subsequent to his brother.

If you're scuffling with suicidal ideas or are experiencing a psychological well being disaster and stay in New York Metropolis, you may name 1-888-NYC-WELL at no cost and confidential disaster counseling. If you happen to stay outdoors the 5 boroughs, you may dial the 24/7 Nationwide Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.