Mother of Army sergeant killed in Afghanistan: 'America is angry'
Paula Knauss Selph describes her grief and anger after her son, Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, was one of the 13 U.S. servicemembers killed during the withdrawal from Afghanistan
Paula Knauss Selph remembered the shock and frustration she felt one year ago when she learned her son, Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, was one of the 13 U.S. service members killed in Kabul.
She said Tuesday that America is angry following the botched withdrawal.
President Biden asked to speak with the fallen service member's families. Selph recalled the first words out of Biden's mouth being, "I can understand if you’re angry."
"We are frustrated, and we are trying to understand where we have gone from in this administration," she said through tears on "Fox & Friends" Tuesday. "We have lost our way, and we need to find it again."
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Selph said her son Ryan was born to be in the armed forces, remembering his athleticism and determination.
"He was prepared to do what he did," she told host Ainsley Earhardt. "We just didn't want to lose him over something that was not necessary."
Selph said she’s proud of her son, who was tasked with keeping order as the chaos of the withdrawal unfolded.
"If you can imagine my son at 23 holding a bullhorn, trying to keep order for hundreds and thousands of people coming through one gate, it would be a task that only a strong, heroic person could accept as their job," she said.
Selph, whose son left behind a wife, said that before leaving for Afghanistan, Ryan said to her, "Mom, I’ll be right back."
In an interview for Fox News Digital's "Heroes of Kabul" series, Selph recalled the last message she got from her son in Kabul. She unlocked her phone to see a selfie of Ryan sitting in his truck, his hair tucked under a baseball cap and sunglasses shielding his eyes.
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"All good here mom, I love you," the message read.
Ryan died Aug. 26, 2021, in the suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. (U.S. Special Operations Forces Command)
She called her son a great man and said she’s grateful for how he served.
"When all is said and done, what we can hope for in life is to finish well, and Ryan finished well, despite the obstacles in his way."