DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT, FRIEND
On a wet, chilly January 2012 evening in Dallas, Texas, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to accompany Chris and Taya to the first of what would be many stops on the American Sniper book tour. The turnout for this event was beyond anyone’s expectations and it was soon evident that the bookstore had seriously underestimated the volume of fans that would show up and stand for hours in the long line that snaked through the entire store.
Chris, though obviously blown away by the crowd, was not in the least bit deterred and made a point to engage each and every fan who came to see him. I watched as he signed books and posed for photographs. He thanked veterans for their service and families of servicemen and -women for their sacrifice. He shook hands, gave hugs, and, with genuine humility, addressed every man as “sir” and every lady as “ma’am” (ball cap removed, of course). He stood the entire time. That’s the man he was. It’s how he was raised—nice job, Wayne and Deby.
As the father of three boys, I realize that I bear the responsibility of teaching and modeling for my sons what it means to be a man. A real man: a man of faith, integrity, honor, discipline, patriotism, and self-sacrifice. Chris Kyle was the embodiment of all these virtues. Over the years, I have cautioned my boys about looking to public figures or celebrities as role models. All too often, we are left disappointed when we discover that the public persona is nothing like the person they are privately. Not so with Chris. He was the real deal. I am deeply honored to have called him friend and proud that my boys will forever look up to him for the role model and hero he was . . . and will forever be.