Real-life "American Sniper" Chris Kyle's widow Taya Kyle was speechless when she received $62,000 from AmericanSnipers.org on Jan. 23. The non-profit organization awarded the amount from its successful rifle raffle to her and their two children.
One of the five rifles auctioned off by the group from its site was a replica of the McMillan .338 Lapua sniper rifle, which Bradley Cooper's role in the Clint Eastwood's film used in combat and signed by his widow, who was played by Sienna Miller.
At the 2015 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, the widow addressed an applauding crowd after learning about the money raised for her family saying, "I don't know what to say. It's been a bittersweet journey, obviously, and I do feel that Chris is with me."
AmericanSnipers.org co-founder Brian Sain said it was important for him and the group to show their support for the family. In an interview, he told CNN he thinks "America needs heroes like Chris," who was a "diehard American."
In 2009, Sain met the late American sniper. After they became friends, they agreed to work together through AmericanSnipers.org to help raise money and gear for troops abroad. In August 2014, Sain organized a rifle raffle on the site to realize that dream.
On Jan. 22, the rifle raffle ended and the money raised was donated to the Kyle family.
"The whole community is a family. No one really understands what we do," Sain said. "Chris would have done this for me."
The "American Sniper" film also stars Kyle Galner, Ben Reed, Elise Robertson, Cole Konis, Luke Sunshine, Troy Vincent and Brandon Salgado Telis, among others.
Watch Kyle's widow accept the donation here: