Soviak, in his early 20s from Berllin Heights near Sandusky, died in the blast outside Hamid Karzai International Airport, where the military is working to evacuate Americans and Afghan citizens who helped the U.S. during Afghanistan’s occupation over the last two decades.
In high school, Soviak was on the football, track, wrestling and tennis teams and played in the school band, Edison Superintendent Thomas Roth said, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.
“He just enjoyed life, he was full of life. He was a good kid, a good student and people just enjoyed being around him,” Roth said, the newspaper reported.
The school planned to have a moment of silence during the Friday night high school football game.
The 13 U.S. service members who died included 10 Marines, a Navy sailor and an Army soldier. The military has not identified them or given a service affiliation for the last victim, the Associated Press reported.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ordered all U.S. and Ohio flags at public buildings and grounds to fly at half staff through sunset Aug. 30.
Jason Garza, who said he is a friend of the Soviak family, organized a fundraiser on the crowdfunding site GoFundMe.
The U.S. said more than 100,000 people have been safely evacuated through the Kabul airport, but thousands more are struggling to leave in one of history’s largest airlifts, the AP reported.
The U.S. Navy issued a statement Friday, saying one sailor was among those killed who was stationed at the airport’s Abbey gate.
“We mourn the loss of this Sailor and we offer our deepest condolences to the loved ones of our fallen shipmate. The name of the Sailor will be released 24 hours after notification of next of kin,” the release stated.
President Joe Biden on Friday vowed to avenge the deaths of the 13 American troops and dozens of Afghans killed, the AP reported.
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