“Go Get ’Em”: Mother Of Army Reservist Killed In U.S.-Iran War Urges Trump To Continue Campaign

More than a month after her son was killed in the U.S.-Iran war, Donna Burhans has established a routine that helps her manage grief on her family’s 35-acre farm in Winter Haven, Florida. When she stays inside and dwells on his death, she becomes overwhelmed, so she takes solitary walks, tends the garden and speaks aloud about her son, Cody Khork, to the animals that surround her.

“They’re good listeners,” Burhans, 67, said with a soft laugh. “They sit there, and I start talking to Cody, or I start talking about him. He was a hero. I’m so proud of him. It just helps.”

Service, Loss and Memory

Khork, 35, was one of 13 Americans killed in the conflict with Iran. He died on March 1 — the second day of the war — when a drone struck a port in Kuwait. Khork and five other Army reservists were killed in that single attack.

Growing up on military bases as the son of a Marine, Khork embraced military life early. His mother recalled him clambering through helicopters and admiring air shows. Nicknamed “Twig” as a child because of his slim build, he went on to serve as a captain in the Army Reserve and was posthumously promoted to major. His deployments included tours in Poland, Saudi Arabia, Guantánamo Bay and, finally, Kuwait.

Donna Burhans says of her son, Cody: "He was a hero. I’m so proud of him." (Courtesy Donna Burhans)(Courtesy Donna Burhans)

Khork left behind a fiancée and had hoped one day to work at the Pentagon, Burhans said. His alma mater, Florida Southern College in Lakeland, established an ROTC scholarship in his memory, and local businesses have helped the family by catering memorial events.

Dover Dignified Transfer And Meeting With The President

At a dignified transfer ceremony in Dover, Delaware — where Khork’s remains and those of five other service members were returned to the U.S. in flag-draped transfer cases — Burhans had a brief chance to speak with former President Donald Trump and with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

“You could tell when he walked into the room that he was distraught,” Burhans said of Trump. “He had his head down. And he was just a normal, caring person. He wasn’t the president when he walked into the room. He was just there to tell us how sorry he was.”

Burhans told Trump that she did not want her son to have died needlessly and that she hoped the administration would continue prosecuting the war. She expressed trust in both her faith and in Trump’s judgment.

“Trump knows what he’s doing. He knows exactly what he’s doing, and he’s doing everything the way it’s supposed to be done,” she said. “I have my trust in him and God.” She added that she told Trump to “finish it,” saying, “I said, ‘Go get ’em.’ This is what my son signed up for.”

Khork and his mother. (Courtesy Donna Burhans)(Courtesy Donna Burhans)

Community Support And Legacy

Neighbors and community members have rallied around the Khork family. A local barbecue restaurant assisted with memorial gatherings, and Florida Southern College’s new ROTC scholarship honors Khork’s service and keeps his memory alive for future cadets.

In a phone interview with NBC News, Trump said briefly of families of the fallen, “I feel so badly for those people.”

The conflict is currently paused as negotiators attempt to reach a peace deal, leaving families like Burhans’s navigating grief amid ongoing political and military uncertainty.

Correction and clarity notes: dates, locations and quotes have been verified against the original reporting; minor wording and punctuation were adjusted for clarity and flow while preserving the interviewee’s voice and intent.