Family Remembers Local Airman who Died in Afghanistan

By: Justin Thompson-Gee Facebook | Twitter

Posted: Oct 3, 2015 8:27 PM CDT | Updated: Oct 3, 2015 8:33 PM CDT

A Milwaukee man, Quinn Johnson-Harris, is one of six US airmen who died in Afghanistan when their C-130 airplane went down.

The US military plane had just taken off from the Jalalabad Air Base when there was an explosion and the plane went down.

The Taliban claim to have shot it down, but the Pentagon said there was no evidence of enemy fire.

Johnson-Harris spent his junior and senior years of high school at Homestead High School in Mequon before graduating and joining the Air Force.

CBS 58 spoke to Johnson-Harris’ family on Friday night, “Quinn was the heart beat of our family, for sure. Nobody could ever get down, Quinn was always there. He always wanted to make everybody proud,” says Quinn’s mother Yvette Johnson.

“He loved everybody, and that shows you that he doesn't care if you're this, if you're that, you know? He loves everyone," said Fa-Tia Johnson, Quinn’s sister.

“Spent every day with him until I left to West Point, so I mean, every aspect of my life has been dedicated towards being a good leader for my little brother," said Quinn’s brother Lamar.

Quinn Johnson-Harris spent the last two and a half years in the Air Force. He was stationed at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas.

Johnson-Harris was called to serve in Afghanistan on his first tour of duty. He was there a month before he died.

The family is dealing with a lot of pain, but it's also their time to share some family secrets because they want us to know the kind of person he was, "Quinn, I remember he was in school, he said 'mom, check me out', he had gave his little Chihuahua a pink mohawk, and he had a pink mohawk for Halloween. He said 'I'm different mom, and it's okay,'“remembered Quinn's mother.

The principal of Homestead High School describes Quinn Johnson-Harris as a good-hearted, charismatic young man full of personality.

They say he will be greatly missed.