SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Six military families are grieving after a refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq last week, killing six U.S. service members — including an airman with ties to metro Atlanta.
One of those killed was Maj. Alex Klinner. His wife, Libby, and her sisters grew up in Roswell and graduated from St. Pius X Catholic High School.
Libby Klinner, a 2011 graduate of the school, traveled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Monday, where her husband’s body is expected to arrive later this week.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Family members say the 33-year-old major was deeply committed to both his family and his military service.
The family shared a video with Channel 2’s Eryn Rogers, which documented one of the last things Klinner did before deploying. He prepared meals for his family to eat while he was gone, since his wife would be raising three young children under three.
“He was just such a selfless person and a true servant leader,” said Sarah Rose Harrill, Klinner’s sister-in-law, said.
The video of Klinner cooking frozen meals for his family captured what Harrill described as a life dedicated to helping others.
“A life in service, naturally aligned with those gifts and just his ways of operating,” she said.
Klinner was promoted to Major in January. He oversaw flight training for more than 30 crew members and was stationed in Birmingham as part of a 10-year commitment to the Air Force. His family said he had already served eight years and completed around four deployments during that time.
“He was incredibly proud of the role that he played in the Air Force,” Harrill said.
TRENDING STORIES:
- $1.2 billion Georgia tax rebate approved
- Georgia tax preparers kept money, left clients owing thousands to government, they say
- No water for ICE: Utilities to planned Georgia detention center cut off
Just one week after deploying, tragedy struck.
“Our world was shattered when Alex and his crew were crashed in Iraq,” Harrill said. “It was a very humbling reminder that our freedom is not free, and that this is a debt that can never be repaid.”
Klinner and five other service members died when their refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq in connection with the conflict involving Iran.
The Pentagon later identified the service members killed as
- 33-year-old Maj. John A. Klinner of Auburn, Alabama
- 31-year-old Capt. Ariana G. Savino of Covington, Washington
- 34-year-old Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt of Bardstown, Kentucky
- 38-year-old Capt. Seth R. Koval of Mooresville, Indiana
- 30-year-old Capt. Curtis J. Angst of Wilmington, Ohio
- 28-year-old Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons of Columbus, Ohio
“We just want to make sure that these American heroes, memories and their legacies are not forgotten,” Harrill said.
Harrill, who grew up in Roswell and now lives in Sandy Springs, said her younger sister is devastated by the loss.
“He was such a devoted husband to Libby, and he loved her so fiercely and completely, and they were really true partners,” Harrill said. “Libby is heartbroken and shattered.”
The couple has three young children, a 2-year-old and 7-month-old twins, who family members say will grow up hearing about the father they lost.
“Those children really hit the jackpot with having the greatest dad, and that it’s going to be on us to make sure that they are aware of just how incredible their father was,” Harrill said. “It is such a loss for our family, and he really leaves behind an incredible, beautiful legacy.”
Friends and supporters have set up a fundraiser for the family. A GoFundMe campaign can be found here.
Family members say they also have one request for the public during this difficult time: not to manipulate images of their family. They say they have seen some AI-generated pictures circulating online that have been upsetting while they grieve.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2026 Cox Media Group
