BELLEVUE, Neb (KMTV) — Students and instructors at Martial Arts International in Bellevue honored Sgt. Noah Tietjens — known to them as "Mr. Noah" — with a birthday tribute workout, completing 43 sit-ups to mark what would have been his 43rd birthday. He was one of six service members killed in Kuwait over the weekend.
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"Because at the end of the day the only that mattered for Mr Noah is. 'I wanted my family taken care of,'" Melegrito said.
Grandmaster Julius Melegrito remembered Tietjens as a humble man who lived simply and loved his family. Melegrito said the martial arts community plans to look out for Tietjens' wife and son.
"And we hold onto this light to continue and to move forward with Mr. Noah's legacy," Melegrito said as the community held candles in a darkened studio.
Master Daniel McCarthy, who owns a studio in West Omaha, was Tietjens' friend.
"You can be sure that we're all going to step up wherever they need it," he said.
McCarthy remembered Tietjens as a dedicated training partner: "He's a hard worker. He was a really easy guy because he would keep pushing, keep going and you know, we say iron sharpens iron, so if I was training with Noah, I was going to get a good workout."
According to Iowa Congressman Zach Nunn, the remains of Tietjens and the other soldiers killed in Kuwait will arrive at Dover Air Force Base on Saturday.
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