Our Why
Remembering the Love of Taya & Chris Kyle
This month we pause in remembrance of an American hero, Chris Kyle (April 8, 1974 – February 2, 2013). Prior to Chris’ untimely passing, he was developing his vision for programs to support military and first responder communities. Today, we know these programs to be the lifeblood of the Taya and Chris Kyle Foundation.
Chris and Taya Kyle knew first-hand the challenges military families encounter. The couple was always transparent about the toll that service life took on their relationship and family. These trials shaped them both individually and as a couple, which made the mission of the future foundation personal. Throughout their time together they were blessed to know many other couples in both the military and first responder couples who shared similar issues and lacked the unique tools they too were seeking. This realization sparked the early discussions between Taya and Chris on how they could continue to serve those who serve our nation.
The foundation’s vision was launched by Taya Kyle in 2014 as a 501c3 nonprofit organization to honor the life and legacy of her husband, “American Sniper” Chris Kyle. Its founding continues the post-deployment legacy Chris began with a focus on saving lives and marriages that are challenged by the everyday rigor of service. Today, Taya and the TACKF team continue to work towards fulfilling Chris’ vision through the development and delivery of life-changing, impactful programs in service to our military and first responder communities across the nation.
“In the months following Chris’s death, amongst the crushing pain, I had these moments of overwhelming gratitude that God had given us the gift of lasting love and allowed us to end on a high note of having weathered the storm with love stronger than I could have predicted. I want that gift for every service couple. I want deep love and a joyful family for them to rest in and savor. It makes all the difference in healing.” – Taya Kyle
To date, these programs have impacted over 2972 service couples with ripple effects of impacting 1,000s more immediate family members. As we continue to move forward with the same heart Chris so generously shared and the sentimental frog he loved, we are stepping into bigger opportunities in 2022 to reach and impact more service families. This leads us to TACKF’s tagline: “Service Family Strong.” Our mission remains steadfast where we at TACKF exist to save lives by providing unique tools and services couples need to save their marriage, their family, and each other.