"He closed the door behind him and since that moment I had this strange feeling that he would never come back," said the wife of martyr Ahmed Al Nagawi who was among the 45 Emirati soldiers who died during the call of duty on Friday. Abeer Taymor said the foreboding came during his last trip to Yemen. "While packing his bags my eyes filled up. He asked me why I was crying. He then bid farewell to me and my children and told me to trust in the Almighty," she said. "He also told me that I will hear good news ... it was his martyrdom." Abeer got married to Ahmed in 2004 and has four children - Abdullah, 10 years; Issa, 8; Alia, 4; and Mariyam less than a year old. She added that she had spoken to her husband the day before he was killed. "That was the last time I spoke to him. He sounded very happy and said he would give me a surprise," she said. "When I was informed about his death, I thanked God that my husband died defending his country," said Taymor. "I then contacted my children's schools. They come home and accepted the news.". Ahmed's 10-year-old son Abdullah stood tall in his kandoora receiving condolences. "He loved us and we will follow his footsteps and we will protect our country." afkarali@khaleejtimes.com