Marine Corps Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui

Marine Corps Lance Corporal Kareem Grant Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California, served with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, at Camp Pendleton. He was killed on August 26, 2021, when an ISIS-K suicide bomber attacked Abbey Gate at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Kareem was helping protect and evacuate civilians during Operation Allies Refuge.

LCpl Nikoui graduated from Norco High School in 2019. He participated in the school’s JROTC program and had a clear goal of joining the Marine Corps after graduation. His former instructor, retired Sergeant David Spratley, recalled, “All he wanted to do was go into the service and be a Marine.” Kareem reportedly planned to make it his career.

Teachers, relatives and friends remembered Kareem as good-natured, compassionate and devoted to helping others. Social-studies teacher Diana Stiller said images of him helping Afghan families and children were “totally Kareem.” His mother, Shana Chappell, remembered his wonderful personality and especially missed the jokes he shared with her.

LCpl Nikoui was survived by his parents, two sisters and two brothers.