Anne Smedinghoff, the 25-year old suburban Chicago woman, joined the U.S. Foreign Service straight out of college, was among those killed in a terrorist attack in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, the Chicago Sun Times reported.
Smedinghoff was killed along with four other Americans in a car bomb blast as their convoy traveled in Zabul province, while delivering textbooks to school children. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.
Smedinghoff, a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, immediately joined the U.S. Foreign Service, volunteering for missions in dangerous locations worldwide.
"What I admired most was her energy and enthusiasm and an unwavering commitment to the work she was doing," Solmaz Sharisi said, who worked with at the U.S. embassy in Kabul. "And it really did have an impact. She was young but she seemed like a seasoned foreign diplomat."
Smedinghoff's first assignment for the foreign service was in Caracas, Venezuela but soon volunteered for the Afghanistan assignment thereafter. She was an up-and-coming employee at the State Department who garnered praise from the highest ranks, including U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry who said at a news conference in Turkey that she was "vivacious,, smart and capable." Smedinghoff had assisted Kerry during a visit to Afghanistan two weeks ago.
Kerry also depicted her as a "selfless, idealistic woman who woke up [Saturday] morning and set out to bring textbooks to school children, to bring them knowledge."
The U.S. Department of Defense did not release the names of the others who died in the attack, but included three soldiers and one employee.
Smedinghoff's father recalled that she proudly remembered her determined daughter, describing her world experiences as "a great adventure for her. She loved it. She was tailor-made for this job," he told the Associated Press.
"It's like a nightmare, you think will go away and it's not," We keep saying to ourselves, we're just so proud of her, we take consolation in the fact that she was doing what she loved," he added.
One of her favorite projects included working with the Afgan wormen's soccer team to ensure great acceptane within the county. She practiced her skills on days off, her colleague Sharisi said.
Smedinghoff's remains of were being flown to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for an official ceremony, according to State Department, which added the family had asked Monday's ceremony be private. The family is expected to attend along with Undersecretary of State Patrick Kennedy, Ambassador David Pearce and other officials.
A wake for Smedinghoff will take place Tuesday in suburban Oak Park in Illinois. A funeral Mass will follow Wednesday morning at St. Luke Church.
