U.S. Marine Rylee McCollum killed in the Kabul Airport attack as US troops were evacuating people from the city overrun by the Taliban. May God Welcome Rylee in Glory and Peace.
JACKSON, Wyoming —— Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, 20, from Jackson, Wyoming, was one of the 13 U.S. troops killed in the Kabul airport attack Thursday.
A suicide bomber and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul’s airport, transforming a scene of desperation into one of horror in the waning days of rescue operations for those fleeing the Taliban takeover.
According to Rylee’s sister Cheyenne McCollum, he was in Afghanistan helping the evacuation efforts and was manning a checkpoint when the suicide bombers hit.
“When we saw the news, we all (me, my dad and younger sister) just had a feeling that something wasn’t right. I had gone home early from work. I wasn’t holding it together. I had a feeling. My dad had a weird feeling too. Then they knocked on our door at 3:30 in the morning,” Cheyenne said.
Cheyenne told EastIdahonews.com Rylee was her little brother. He was the youngest of four and the only boy in the family. Their single father raised them.
Rylee was a 2019 graduate of Summit Innovations School in Jackson and always knew what he wanted to do in life.
“He was a kid that touched everybody’s heart. He was a wrestler since he was 4. He knew he was going to be a Marine since he was about that same age. He used to walk around in just a diaper and in his sister’s pink princess boots carrying his toy rifle and play like he was in the Army or a Marine,” Cheyenne said.
Rylee joined the Marine Corps on his 18th birthday. He was sent to Jordan for his first deployment and assigned to Afghanistan just two weeks ago.
“He signed papers on his 18th birthday and called my dad and was like, ‘Oh, Dad, I need you to come sign this for me. I’m enlisting,’ and he’s like, ‘Oh wait, it’s my birthday, I don’t need your signature anymore!’ And we couldn’t have been more proud of him because he was doing what he needed to do and what he wanted to do,” she said.
Rylee got married right before his deployment in April. His wife is on base in San Diego and is pregnant with their first child, due in mid-September.
“He was going to be the best dad. We don’t know (the gender of the baby). They decided to keep it a surprise. We hope it’s a boy. I had a baby in 2019, and he just loved her so much,” Cheyenne said.
Rylee had plans to be a teacher and wrestling coach after serving his country.
“We are all just kind of lost. Don’t know what to do or what to think from here. The next step is to go get him and bring him home,” she said.
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon released a statement Friday following news of Rylee’s death.
“I’m devastated to learn Wyoming lost one of our own in yesterday’s terrorist attack in Kabul, Afghanistan,” Gordon said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of U.S. Marine Rylee McCollum of Bondurant. Jennie and I, along with all of Wyoming and the entire nation, thank Rylee for his service.”https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fgovernormarkgordon%2Fposts%2F1972449046250056&show_text=true&width=500
Wyoming State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow released the following statement:
“Saying that I am grateful for Rylee’s service to our country does not begin to encapsulate the grief and sadness I feel today as a mother and as an American. My heart and prayers are with Rylee’s family, friends and the entire Jackson community. We will find many ways to honor Rylee for this ultimate and untimely sacrifice in the coming months and years – but for now, my arms are wrapped around Rylee’s loved ones from afar, and I pray they find some comfort.”
Rylee was in Afghanistah just 2 weeks, and 20 years old. Just a kid. Beyond belief for this to be happening to Americans and caused by Joe Biden, who swore an oath to Protect American citizens. Please tell me again why Biden cannot be arrested, charged with murder?
This is heartbreaking. I saw his dad on Tucker’s show tonight. I am so angry and in a RIGHTEOUS way. This is just the beginning I’m afraid. I am just without words. And we have a Cat 4 Hurricane heading our way on top of everything else. It seems like nothing compared to this stuff going on.
Hitting the like button on this post feels wrong. This is gut wrenching and should have never happened. OBiden and their handlers killed this boy and surrendered our military to the Taliban. It’s an American shame
My heart hit bottom because it brought back feelings of death and pain from days of Vietnamn when 500 men a month were killed the month I enlisted in 1968. Loosing my friends hit again hearing of the tragic unpreventable death of this Marine and other young men. Lord please put angels around and protect those still in harms way as you did me those many years ago. Lord help us all! Maranatha! Hurry! Living a stones throw away from the Cowboy state here in Colorado I salute you Marine!
I wish I could say what I want to Creepy, Sleepy, Pedophile Biden. The anger and frustration I feel and I know most of America feels, is beyond description. Those who voted for that clown have just as much blood on their hands as Biden and those who are manipulating him. God help our country, God help the world.
I too was shocked with Rylee’s death. I hiked in the Grand Teton National Park in October 2011 when Rylee was only 10. Having served as an officer in the US Navy in nuclear subs and on a cargo ship in the Mediterranean, all the kids I worked with were just like Rylee- competent, loyal, caring and confident. It hurts me every day for these 13 valiant patriots. I live in Northern VA so this Memorial Day I will visit 3 of the graves of these kids. I will cry I am sure. Ed guardfish@verizon.net. To Rylee- Semper Fi my young hero.
It is very difficult to not feel a rising and corrosive hatred for Biden and the rest of the criminals who bring death and destruction throughout the world to appease the military industrial complex.
Ed, would you please place a stone atop Rylee’s gravestone for me. I’ll be there with you in spirit when you visit his gravesite. Thank you.