Taya Kyle Speaks at Laura W. Bush Institute for Women's Health Presentation

At the McNease Convention Center on April 7, Taya Kyle, the wife of the late U.S. Navy Seal sniper Chris Kyle, addressed a room full of about 700 people at the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health. Kyle was the keynote speaker.

Many people have either seen the movie American Sniper, read the book by Chris Kyle, or one of the many articles about the tragedy that befell him and his friend Chad Littlefield. Chris was a dedicated warrior for the U.S. Navy Seals. He was, and is still, the most lethal sniper in U.S. Military History with 160 confirmed kills. His death came too soon, and it was a tragic one at that. On Feb. 2, 2013, Chris and Chad were shot dead at a shooting range near Chalk Mountain, Texas. Former Marine Eddie Ray Routh was found guilty of the crime and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Taya Kyle spoke of how the past few years has been for her since Chris' death, and how faith, family, and love helped her through. She is a woman who has gone through some of the hardest things a woman can go through, but used those tragedies to help others.

“I usually stick to a couple of themes, and today, they will be love, war, faith, and renewal,” Taya said in her opening remarks.

Taya reminisced of the day she had met Chris and how she had prayed to God that she would just meet someone nice and caring. She was holding back tears as she told the audience about how much Chris meant to her and how thankful she was to God for sending him her way.

“My biggest fear was that I would lose Chris,” Taya noted.

Taya also spoke about the things she learned with her husband being away from home.

“He is in a war, and, over here in the States, everyone just continues with everyday life and discussing the Pop Charts,” she said about what she realized.

Taya also spoke about a friend who had recently lost her husband in the war. She let the tears fall when speaking about this, and the people who came to listen couldn’t hold back their tears either.

“Her whole world had just crumbled, but the world around her just kept going,” she said.

Taya emphasized that the women who have lost, and continue to lose, their loves are some of the strongest women she has seen. They continued to raise their kids and go through life.

“I never thought faith was a big part of our relationship, but then I found a huge connection to it at the end of our relationship,” Taya said. “I could see, at the end, God knew my husband was going to be murdered because he gave me memories with Chris that will last a lifetime.”

Taya continued on with how Chris was murdered and what things have come out of his tragic death.

“This person chose to kill two people who were trying to help him, and we later found out it was not because he had PTSD,” Taya continued. “ Psychiatrists helped the prosecution and defense by testifying that not only did he not have PTSD, but he had never had a traumatic event in his life to cause him to have PTSD.”

Taya also said she knew this person chose to do evil, but she also knew that a lot of beautiful things came out of this situation.

“I have started the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation," Taya said. She also said, “People found comfort in the American Sniper and American Wife books.”

For the rest of the discussion, Taya held the audience’s attention, and many people at the event felt honored that the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health brought Mrs. Kyle to San Angelo to tell her story.

Amber, a member of the U.S. military, said, “I thought it was very moving how Taya overcame struggles and obstacles in her life by the faith in God.”

Berkeley Puckitt, the administrator of the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health, said, “I am so blown away at her leadership, and it is important for woman’s health because being emotionally and physically healthy to overcome something like losing your husband is very hard, but can be done.” She added, “I have recently become a mother, and knowing that she is raising her kids alone makes me feel confident I could do it if anything were to happen.”

Taya signed books and took photos with people who attended the presentation, and had a second book signing at Hastings as well that day. San Angelo welcomed her warmly, and she enjoyed talking to people who came to express their love for her story.