Afghanistan withdrawal Gold Star father reveals moment he knew son was in danger: 'She had mother's intuition'

Fox News Digital spoke with Darin Hoover, the Gold Star father of Taylor Hoover, who died on Aug. 26, 2021, while serving his country in Afghanistan.

"You know, if given the opportunity again, if our kids were to come back to us and ask that same question, if they would join all over again and go back. I know every single one of them would say absolutely yes." "Kelly and I were talking on the phone. She had a mother's intuition. And she called me the first time crying, 'Please tell me it's not Taylor. Please tell me it's not Taylor." Jasmine is a writer at Fox News Digital and a military spouse based in New Orleans. Stories can be sent to jasmine.baehr@fox.com

A Utah native, Taylor had known since age 11 that he wanted to join the Marine Corps after watching the second plane hit the Twin Towers on 9/11.  His parents had kept him home from school that day."Right then and there, he told us that he was going to join the military and specifically the Marine Corps. Like Kelly has told the story time and time again, those little plastic Army guys, you know, that the kids all get. Those weren't Army, those were Marines," Hoover recalled.

Taylor never wavered from his Marine Corps dream, and went on to enlist on September 13, 2010. He completed Marine Corps Recruit Depot training on December 10, 2010. He then deployed with the 3-7, or 3rd Battalion 7th Marines, to Afghanistan on two separate deployments. "He was taken under a couple of his Sergeant's wings. They had him out front constantly with the minesweeper. And any detail that they needed, done. Taylor had either already started doing it or knew exactly what needed to be done and took it over and just did it," said proud father Darin.Taylor's hard work and dedication to get the job done paid off, as he was ultimately promoted to Staff Sergeant or E-6 by Marine Corps rank during a later deployment with the Second Battalion, First Marines.When Taylor's unit was stationed onboard a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz in 2021, he and many other Marines got the call to deploy to Afghanistan to aid in the American withdrawal under President Biden.Hoover recalled when his son was first sent to Kabul. "Taylor sent me, a cryptic message saying, 'Hey, dad, I can't tell you, you know where I'm going. Just watch the news. You'll figure it out. Just know that. That I'm with a bunch of kick-ass guys and that we're going to be okay.' And I replied, ‘Okay, just make sure you bring them home and bring yourself home and do what you got to do.’ He said, 'Don't worry, dad."