Gov. Abbott Establishes 'Chris Kyle Day'
Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter
AUSTIN (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - Chris Kyle, the retired Navy SEAL depicted in the blockbuster movie "American Sniper," now has a day named in his honor two years after being killed.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed a proclamation declaring Monday as 'Chris Kyle Day' in Texas, where Kyle was raised and lived after serving in Iraq.
[tweet https://twitter.com/GovAbbott/status/562333280280662016 width='330']
Abbott called Kyle "the face of a legion of warriors who have led the mightiest military in the history of the world."
Kyle is reputed to be the deadliest sniper in American history. Actor Bradley Cooper plays him in the movie based on Kyle's autobiography, "American Sniper," which has made nearly $250 million in theaters and is nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
Kyle and another man were fatally shot in February 2013 at a North Texas gun range. The trial of the suspected gunman, a fellow veteran believed to have mental health issues, starts later this month.
CBS 11 News anchor Doug Dunbar had the chance to speak with Kyle and his wife in 2012, where the sniper recalled his time in Iraq and how his family brought him back home. Watch the video below to see that report.
(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)