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<p><span style="font-weight:400">The widow of a U.S. Army soldier killed while serving in Iraq said she will “never recover” after losing her husband, who leaves behind a 6-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was killed on July 19 at Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq during the controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone, according to the Department of War. The department identified him publicly on Tuesday, and the incident remains under investigation.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">Shortly after military officials informed her of his death, Swinton’s wife, Mia Gonzalez-Swinton, shared the news in a series of emotional Facebook posts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">“I didn’t think this would be the last time I ever saw you. I have no words,” she wrote. “I was informed this morning that my husband, Michael, was killed while serving in Iraq. I’m navigating how to process this so please bear with me.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">Later in the day, she added, “I see all the love and messages. I appreciate everyone reaching out but I don’t have it in me to respond to everyone. My husband, my best friend, my daughter’s father, he’s gone and I don’t have the words right now.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">In another post, she wrote, “I will never recover from this, you should be home. We had so many plans for when you got back. I’m sick to my stomach.”</span></p>
<p>She also shared a touching <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/r/19ATpJs8BQ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> showing Swinton in various photos with his children.</p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">Swinton, an active-duty soldier assigned to D Battery, 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Fort Bragg, had served in the Army since enlisting in 2017. He lived in nearby Spring Lake, North Carolina.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">His mother, Christel Swinton Andujar, told </span><a href="https://abc7ny.com/amp/post/us-soldier-killed-iraq-was-30-year-old-father-north-carolina/19551017/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight:400">The Associated Press</span></a><span style="font-weight:400"> that his wife and children “were the center of his world.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">“His legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched, the laughter he shared, the strength he gave others, and the unconditional love he poured into his family,” she said. “He will forever be missed, forever honored, and forever our hero.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">She described her son as someone who could light up a room with his humor and contagious laugh.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">“Michael had a remarkable ability to excel at whatever he set his mind to,” she said. “He knew when it was time to laugh and when it was time to be serious. Whether serving his country, supporting his family, or helping a friend, he gave his whole heart and expected nothing in return.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">Swinton will be posthumously promoted to staff sergeant and awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and Combat Action Badge. He had previously received several other military decorations during his service. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">Military leaders remembered Swinton as a dedicated noncommissioned officer who put others before himself.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">“USASMDC is saddened by the loss of Sgt. Swinton, whose death occurred during an operation to safeguard fellow Soldiers,” Lt. Gen. John L. Rafferty, commanding general of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, </span><a href="https://www.army.mil/article-amp/294025/dow_announces_death_of_usasmdc_soldier_in_iraq" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight:400">said in a statement</span></a><span style="font-weight:400">. “His service will not be forgotten, and his sacrifice is not in vain. We will support Sgt. Swinton’s family and his unit during this difficult period.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">Brig. Gen. John L. Dawber, commanding general of the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, described Swinton as “an experienced noncommissioned officer who took great pride in his work and the people around him.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">“He answered the call to duty with courage, honor, and selfless dedication,” Dawber said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">Swinton is at least the 17th U.S. service member publicly identified as having died during the conflict with Iran since March. The Department of War has announced multiple fatalities in recent weeks, including two soldiers killed in Jordan, six soldiers killed in Kuwait, and six airmen killed in a KC-135 crash supporting operations against Iran. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">Following the recent deaths of American service members, President Donald Trump vowed retaliation on Monday, writing, “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!”</span></p>
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Widow Of U.S. Soldier Killed In Middle East Shares Heartbreaking Tribute
