More than 11 years after her Navy SEAL husband, “American Sniper” Chris Kyle, was gunned down and killed at a Texas shooting range, Taya Kyle continues to speak out about her faith and family.
“It was messy,” Kyle said. “There is no fair.”
‘American Sniper’ Widow Shares More of Her Faith 11 Years After Chris’ Murder
Billy Hallowell with CBN News sat down with Taya Kyle 11 years after her husband, Chris, was murdered. On Feb. 2, 2013, Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and his friend, Chat Littlefield, were murdered by a former Marine whom they were trying to help.
“It doesn’t negate that bad things are happening when you’re grateful,” Taya Kyle said. “Things are rough. And, there are things to be grateful for. Both things exist.”
Her kids, Colton (19) and McKenna (18), were interviewed by People Magazine this year. They all remember how Chris’ murder helped them refocus on basic blessings in the midst of profound grief. To this day, they often pray, “Thank you, God, for the roof over our head and the food to eat.”
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Kyle and her kids mourned Chris’ murder while the incident was a national news story and talked about everywhere. She shared how her faith was strong even before Chris’ death: “Our faith was intact, but it definitely grew.”
“[My kids’] spiritual maturity and their emotional maturity are far greater than it ever would have been without the loss of Chris and what we went through,” said Kyle.
“The great news is that I believe God prepares us for the things that are going to happen to us later,” Kyle said. “He just does it really lovingly and really gently, so we can’t predict the bad thing that’s coming.”
Soon after Chris’ death, Kyle was trying to figure out how to make a living. While Chris was in the military, Kyle stayed home. She began to take on speaking engagements and took the kids with her. Kyle hired a homeschool teacher to offer flexibility while furthering the kids’ education.
“It was messy,” shared Kyle. She also remembered, as a child, when a 2-year-old cousin died unexpectedly. “There is no fair,” she remembered a family member saying repeatedly.