WIFE OF CHRIS’S SEAL TEAMMATE RYAN JOB
Ryan in October 2008, shooting a record-setting elk with the help of a computer-assisted scope and a close friend.
Chris was one of the few guys who really made an effort to keep in touch with my husband Ryan after he was seriously wounded. Chris was part of Ryan’s healing process, supporting him as he went through many difficult operations and gradually overcame his disabilities. Ryan was blinded in the war; Chris was one of the people who helped Ryan realize he still had a lot to do with his life.
Then, when Ryan died during surgery, Chris became my friend as well. I’d known him, of course, but until then, he had always been more Ryan’s friend than mine. With my husband gone, Chris and his wife Taya came into my life in a much more personal way. They showed me that it was still possible to have a good time—I remember being with them at a wedding, smiling and relaxing and just feeling very warm in their presence.
Chris would check in by phone whenever he could, to see if I needed anything.
“You’re stuck with me now,” he’d always say. “Don’t forget that.” He and Taya became part of my support network, always there if I needed to call on them.
His tragic death hurt us all. I was able to offer to support to Taya, finding strength I wasn’t sure I had.
It’s ironic: Sometimes you end up in friendships with people because of bad circumstances, and those friendships somehow become stronger and more meaningful than you ever could have imagined. You grow as a person, and you give something back. You do your share to help others and make the world a better place.