On Sunday, January 28, 2024, three US soldiers in Jordan were killed by a drone attack. Dozens were injured. The three soldiers who died in the drone strike were identified as Spc. Kennedy Sanders, 24, Spc. Breonna Moffett, 23, and Sgt. William Rivers, 46. They were all Georgia natives.
One of Sanders' friends, Quoyah McPherson, 29, spoke to the New York Post about her "super goofy, funny" friend. “She wanted to serve the country and make this country proud. I want everybody to know she did exactly that," McPherson told New York Post, speaking of Spc. Kennedy Sanders.
McPherson told the outlet that Sanders was also very active in her community, spending her time volunteering and coaching. Though Sanders had several family members that served in the military, McPherson said Sanders was “her own person” who made the personal choice to join the Army.
McPherson also told the outlet that Sanders definitely understood the risks of joining, but made the choice to do so anyway she wanted to "do her part."
“She knew what type of risks would come with it and she still decided to serve her country. She paid the ultimate price for this country," McPherson told the outlet.
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Kennedy Sanders' mom, Oneida Sanders, spoke to local outlet WSAV about the moment she found out she had lost her daughter. She told the outlet that her husband called her and told her to go home immediately. She then called all of her kids, but Kennedy didn't answer.
When she got home and saw "two uniformed officers," she "knew immediately what was wrong," she told the outlet.
Oneida misses her daughter and is also proud of her. "She is a hero and not just locally. She is a national hero," Oneida told the outlet.
Oneida also spoke to CBS News about her daughter, calling her "full of life," "a breath of fresh air," and "so likable, by so many people."
Her father, Shawn Sanders, also shared that Kennedy was "loved" by so many, to the point that she "didn’t have any enemies," per the Associated Press.
“This is somebody who was just living life, enjoying life at a young age, working toward a career," he said.
Speaking with FOX28, Kennedy's mom echoed what McPherson told the New York Post: Kennedy was extremely involved in her community. Her mom told the outlet that she was also politically engaged as a poll worker. But beyond her commitment to and passion for giving back, her mom believes "people will remember her for bright personality."
"She always was fun-loving, a free spirit, very feeling, and liked to have fun and laugh. That's the type of person she was," Oneida told FOX28.
Spc. Kennedy Sanders and Spc. Breonna Moffett were good friends, reports AP. Breonna's mother, Francine Moffett, told the outlet that Breonna turned 23 just days before she was killed in the attack. Usually when the Moffett family called Breonna, Sanders would also be in the background and would greet the family.
