The wife of a U.S. Air Force officer was identified Wednesday as one of the four Americans killed in the Brussels terror attacks last week.
Officials confirmed that Gail Minglana Martinez, 41, of Corpus Christie, Texas was traveling with Lt. Col. Kato Martinez, her husband, and their four children when she was killed by an explosion last Tuesday, NBC News reported.
According to local KRISTV, Minglana Martinez was killed in the explosions at Brussels Airport. Kato Martinez, who was stationed in Brunssum in the Netherlands, and the children were wounded in the attacks and are still in the hospital receiving treatment for their injuries. The couple had reportedly been married for 21 years.
Minglana Martinez’s brother said in a statement that he has received regular updates on the status of the family’s recovery.
"Gail was special to so many people; she blessed people’s lives and made this world a better place," her brother stated. "Thank you for your generous outpouring of love and support for our family during this tremendously tough time. You can understand how difficult it is for our families right now. Thank you and bless you all."
Rep. Blake Farenthold (R., Texas), who represents the 27th district of Texas that includes Corpus Christie, offered his "heartfelt condolences and prayers" to the family following a conversation with Minglana Martinez’s brother.
"I ask that everyone offer their prayers and support to the Martinez family as they work through the pain and suffering that this horrific event has caused, and respect their privacy at this time," Farenthold said.
The coordinated attacks on Brussels Airport and the Maelbeek subway station last Tuesday killed 35 people, four of them Americans. Two of the other American victims have already been identified as married couple Justin and Stephanie Shults. The attacks were claimed by ISIS, the terror group that also claimed responsibility for the attacks in Paris last November that killed 130 people.
"In this battle against ISIS, we must focus on making sure innocent people are not harmed, while the strategy of ISIS is to kill innocent people," Farenthold said in the statement. "I call on President Obama to deliver a comprehensive strategy to defeat ISIS, root out terror, and ensure that no other family will have to bear a similar tragedy."
It was initially reported last Tuesday that a member of the U.S. Air Force and his family had been wounded in the attacks, though the family was not initially identified.