American Sniper - Boekje Pienter

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Being Ryan, he dished out as many blind jokes as he took and had us
all rolling every time we talked.
When he moved away, we would chat on the phone and get together
whenever we could. In 2010, I found out he and his wife were
expecting their first child.
Meanwhile, the injuries he’d had in Iraq required further surgeries.
He went into the hospital one morning; later that afternoon I got a
call from Marcus Luttrell, asking if I had heard about Ryan.
“Yeah. I just talked to him yesterday,” I told him. “He and his wife
are having a baby. Isn’t it great”
“He died just a little while ago,” said Marcus, his voice quiet.
Something had gone wrong at the hospital. It was a tragic end to a
heroic life. I’m not sure any of us who knew him have gotten over it. I
don’t think I ever will.
The baby was a beautiful girl. I’m sure her father’s spirit lives on
in her.
MIGHTY WARRIORS
After her son’s death, Marc Lee’s mom, Debbie, became almost a surrogate
mother to the other members of our platoon. A very courageous
woman, she has dedicated herself to helping other warriors as they
have made the transition from the battlefield. She’s now president of
America’s Mighty Warriors (www.AmericasMightyWarriors.org) and
has done a lot personally for veterans through what she calls “random
acts of kindness” inspired by Marc’s life and a letter he wrote to her
before he passed away.