Spc Christopher M. Taylor

Hello Betty and the friends of Freedom Quilts!

I would like to take this moment to try to put into words my gratitude and appreciation for you and the Freedom Quilts. I cannot thank you enough for the quilt you made and for all the love, prayers, and hope you send along with each quilt you make. You are showing your support for our troops and their families in such a tremendous way. I cannot thank you enough for that. When so many talk badly about the war and the military, it makes it so hard on the families, especially those who have lost a loved one.

Chris Taylor was an amazing man and the love of my life. He was only 25 when he was killed. He was driving in a convoy in Baghdad when an explosive device struck his convoy on February 16, 2004. He understood that freedom was not free and mentioned that in letters he wrote home. He was always very patriotic and so proud to be doing what he was doing, which was serving his country. He rarely complained and remained quite positive even under those conditions. He made the most of everything and always looked to the brighter side of life. I learned a lot about sacrifice through him. If there was one thing that meant the world to him, it was his family and friends. He sacrificed time away from his family and the people he cared about in order to better someone else’s life. He felt honored to do so and wouldn’t have had it any other way. I could go on and on about Chris…. He was such a giving person and he gave right to the end. He made the ultimate sacrifice for something he truly believed in. He told me not long before he was killed, it was for the greater good of our country and for the people of Iraq, that he was over there, and he truly believed that.

My life has been forever changed, not just by the tragic events that have taken place, but also just by knowing him. He taught me a lot about love, about life, and about sacrifice. I will forever be proud of him and what he did. He was proud to wear the uniform of the United States Army, and I will remain forever proud for him.

I thank you for the quilt you made in his honor. I will treasure it forever. It will be a source of great comfort for me during this time in my life and through my journey in this new life I am now faced with. I thank you Betty and all that help you with Freedom Quilts, for all you have done and for all you continue to do. Thank you so very much for supporting the men and women who give so much for all of us back home. Thank you for reaching out to me in such a manner. I am truly touched by your generosity and kindness.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Reid