Family of Fairborn soldier killed in action talks about recent chaos in Afghanistan

FAIRBORN, Ohio — A Fairborn family, who lost a son while he was fighting in Afghanistan, is talking about the unrest that is happening in that country right now.

News Center 7′s Gabrielle Enright sat down and talked with the family about what’s happening and what their son told them before he died.

Enright said she has known the Snow family since 2010. That is when Army Specialist Jesse Snow was killed when his platoon was attacked by enemy fire.

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Jesse’s father, John, said, “11 years later, we’re still having a hard time with all of it.”

John Snow said, like man people across the country, Jesse joined the military after 9/11. Jesse often told his father stories about the kids he me while in Afghanistan.

“They really appreciate the Americans, maybe not now, but maybe we’re planting the seeds. They’re going to remember how good the Americans are and maybe they’ll have leadership positions or become President and things will turn around,” John Snow said.

As John watches the unrest in Afghanistan, he’s hoping those seeds his son helped to plant will save the Afghan people now.

He said, “We’ve got a bunch of men and women who are educated and sort of know the truth. I think the Taliban is going to have their hands full.”

Jesse Snow’s family received his posthumously awarded Silver Star, the nation’s third highest combat medal.

“He saved three lives. He didn’t die in vain,” John Snow said. He continued by saying, “There would have been three other men that would have died with a bunch of kids left and who knows what would have happened to them in the future.”

Despite what John Snow sees on television in Afghanistan right now, he holds on to his son’s words, which help give him peace.

“He always felt while he was over there, he was doing the right thing,” John Snow said.

Jesse Snow comes from a long lineage of service to the country. His great-grandfather, grandfather and father and four of his six siblings also served in the military.

Also, part of State Route 235 in Fairborn has been renamed and dedicated in his honor.

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