Soldier from Vero Beach family killed in Afghanistan

VERO BEACH, Fla. - Two women are embracing in the driveway.  One says to the other, "I don't know what to say."  The second woman responds, "There's nothing you can say, just say prayers for him.

Michelle Dale cam home Tuesday to hugs, and dozens of flags decorating her front lawn.  She returned today from a trip no military mom wants to make.

Dale reads from the message on one of the flags.

"It says in memory of Dale Kridlo.  Dale was killed in Afghanistan Sunday November 7th."

Kridlo was working as a combat engineer clearing explosives from the roads when he was killed during an ambush.

"He always wanted the toughest job," said his stepfather Ken Dale.  "He loved what he did and was proud of what he did."

Kridlo had just been promoted last month, and was scheduled to come home for the holidays to see his family, especially his 9 year-old twin daughters Madelyne and Zoe.

"They call me Nina.  They said, 'Nina I'm so sorry for the loss of your son.'  And I said, 'Babies I'm so sorry for the loss of your daddy," recalled Michelle Dale.

Pam Proctor said news of Kridlo's death shook her to the core.  She has a son currently serving overseas and four years ago, founded the Military Moms prayer group.  Every Thursday, about two dozen women meet at Christ Church in Vero Beach to pray for our soldiers.

"We're there to ask God to take away the fear," said Proctor.

Each year the Military Moms holds a drive to collect boxes of supplies to ship to the soldiers overseas.  This year, the group is doing it in honor of Dale Kridlo, a man who loved his country, and his children.

Michelle Dale told her granddaughters that they should, "tell all their friends that their daddy is a hero and he'll be their guardian angel looking down upon them from heaven.

If you'd like to help out Military Moms, they have collection sites at all Publix stores in Indian River County.  You can also go to their website here.