Jiennah McCollum who’s husband was killed in Afghanistan one year ago today posted an emotional and hearting message on Facebook about her husband, Rylee and the twelve others who were killed one year ago today. Jiennah McCollum was pregnant with the couple’s child last year at this time, so the child will grow up not knowing her father. Instead, their child will have to read about how bravely Rylee McCollum fought in Afghanistan and how is life was taken far too early by an ISIS-K terrorist and Biden’s stumbling, bumbling withdrawal from Afghanistan. Here is Jiennah McCollum’s emotional Facebook post:
a year ago is when i got the worst news of my life
August 26th it was 2 something in the morning so technically the 27th. i was super pregnant and couldn’t sleep because i wanted rylee to text me back or someone to tell me he was okay. i talked to him on august 24th and he told me he was tired and sick and he sounded just worn out. i was worried. he said things were getting bad. it was affecting him a lot mentally. i could just tell. so i went downstairs started watching glee and eating 2 day old chipotle fries, trying to distract myself from feeling like something happened to him. but i could just feel something was wrong.
i got a knock at the door and instantly my body got hot, i could feel all my color leave
i answered it, it was 4 marines.
“are you Jiennah Crayton?”
i didn’t want to believe it, maybe he was hurt and not gone, but i knew.
why else would they be here at 2 am
i was shaking and my throat was starting to tremble all i could say was “can i put my dog outside?”. in my head i was praying that he would walk through that door when i came back in the room but he didn’t. they were all standing there and they told me to sit down. i put my hands on my stomach just to feel our baby move before i heard what they were about to tell me. then they told me exactly what i had been fearing that whole day. i went numb. i didn’t know what to say. i was carrying our baby. in our house. he wasn’t coming home?
i had to sign some papers i had no clue what i was doing. i couldn’t even process what was going on. i felt empty.
my vision and my mind was fuzzy
they wouldn’t leave til i had someone with me and all i wanted to do was scream and cry and be alone. time went so slow every hour that passed felt like a whole day.
all i could think is i had to call someone so i could get these marines out of my house
i called kayla and she didn’t answer
she was supposed to be leaving for oregon and i prayed that she didn’t already leave. my thoughts were going all over the place. i was praying that god was on my side just this one time and she could be here.
i called her husband, thankfully he answered “i need kayla” that’s all i had to say. they already knew. and she was at my house faster than i think she could process it. i had to call my mom and liz, i couldn’t tell them what happened, i couldn’t say it out loud. i felt like saying it out loud made it true, so i just cried and they instantly knew what i was talking about it. i texted his family that i loved them and that’s all we needed to say to eachother. the rest of that day is fuzzy in my head. that day is when my life changed forever.
after the crazy got a little calmer it got crazy again i had my beautiful baby girl shot has been my rock since she’s arrived. my levi girl i love you so much. more than you will ever know. she has made this whole experience worth living through. without her i don’t know where i would be right now. thank you for saving my life my sweet girl. you don’t know how special you really are.
the picture of life is a little clearer to me and i can collect my thoughts for the most part. i just want to say thank you to everyone who has been apart of this journey with me. thank you to the new and old friends and family that had stuck by my side through this crazy adventure. thank you to everyone who has taken the time to do anything for levi and i we love and appreciate you so much.
to the other families i love you all endlessly and i’m so grateful for each and everyone of you. i wish this wasn’t what brought us together but i’m glad you are in my life. i’m so proud of you guys.
thank you for listening and following our story.
to all the 13 unforgettable souls you will always be in my thoughts. forever remembered.
i love you rylee james
you are missed by so many more people than i think you could imagine.