LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — In a press conference Tuesday, Governor Asa Hutchinson honored Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover, who was born in Arkansas, as one of the soldiers who were killed in the Kabul airport attack.
Hoover had been with the Marines for 11 years and was remembered as a hero to all who knew him in Utah where he lived.
“He gave his life protecting those that can’t protect themselves, doing what he loved serving his country,” said Taylor's father Darin who lives in a Salt Lake City suburb.
He said he had heard from Marines who said they were grateful they had his son as their sergeant.
“They look back on him and say that they’ve learned so much from him,” Hoover said. “One heck of a leader.”
Hoover said his son was also a best friend to his two sisters and loved all his extended family. He had a girlfriend in California and was the kind of guy who “lit up a room” when he came in, his father said.
Nate Thompson of Murray, Utah, first met Hoover when they were 10 years old in Little League football. They stayed friends through high school, where Hoover played lineman.
He was undersized for the position, but his heart and hard work more than made up for what he lacked in stature, Thompson said. As a friend, he was selfless and kind.
“If we had trouble with grades, trouble with family or trouble on the field, we always called Taylor. He’s always levelheaded, even if he’s struggling himself,” he said.
Hoover was born in Arkansas and lived in West Memphis until he recently moved to Salt Lake City, Hutchinson said.
"I wanted to express appreciation for the life of Staff Sgt. Hoover and the work he did to save lives in Afghanistan and may his service and sacrifice to our nation never be forgotten," Hutchinson said.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.