A Nebraska native was killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan on Monday. Technical Sergeant Joseph Lemm died along with 5 other Americans near Bagram Airfield.
Lemm grew up in Beemer, Nebraska and lived in New York and was a 15-year veteran of the NYPD. Lemm graduated from Beemer High School in 1989. The military said Lemm was on a joint NATO-Afghan patrol when someone drove a motorcycle packed with explosives into the group.
Lemm was 45-years-old and served in the Air Force and was on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.
In the village of Beemer, the community support is outstanding.
"He was so caring all the time and you could just tell he was sincere," said Gary Schultz.
Schultz lived just two blocks from where Lemm grew up. Schultz was the Beemer school president and remebers Lemm being a star athlete, "He was good in sports, in basketball and football."
Lemm left Beemer after high school but community members say he never forgot his Nebraska roots.
"He came back after 9/11 when he visited the high school and talked to the kids, that was pretty impressive," said Beemer resident Doug Steffensmeier.
Schultz said Lemm's father wasn't around so he stepped in and filled that void, "He didn't have a dad there and I thought he needed a little attention and I was like a mentor to him wanted to be a mentor to him."
Community members remember Lemm as an all-around great guy and a typical hardworking Nebraskan.
"Joe wasn't the kind of kid to get in trouble, good kid and he worked hard," said Steffensmeier.
He had a lot to give and he gave a lot, because he was a caring person," said Schultz, "I just love him, I loved him."
Lemm's mother, Shirley is heading East to pay her final respects to her son. There's a fund set up at the First Community Bank in Beemer to help Lemm's family with expenses.
