Taya Kyle

Taya Renae Kyle (born September 4, 1974) is an American author, veteran family activist and advocate. She is the widow of Chris Kyle. A film about their life was made in 2014 entitled American Sniper, in which she was portrayed by Sienna Miller. Kyle has published a book titled American Wife: A Memoir of Love, Service, Faith, and Renewal.

Life
She was born Taya Renae Studebaker in Oregon, the daughter of Kim (née Allenbaugh) and Kent Studebaker. Her father is currently the mayor of Lake Oswego, Oregon. She has a sister named Ashley (Studebaker) Brittell.

Taya met Chris Kyle in 2001 and they married in 2002, later having two children. Chris became famous for being the most lethal sniper in American history.

In 2012, an autobiography by Chris, titled American Sniper, was released, which provided insight into her family. Her husband was shot dead in February 2013.

After his death, Taya has spoken on behalf of her husband at numerous functions, appearing on outlets like CNN. She is an advocate for women and families who have lost family members while serving in the war. She travels around the country as a guest speaker to tell the story of her husband and others like him. In August 2013 the state of Texas enacted the Chris Kyle Law (SB162) which was created to "expand the effort to help ease employment challenges for active duty military members and their spouses". Taya Kyle represented her husband at the ceremony, stating "I hope that by incorporating these changes into current Texas law we can honor the legacy of Chris Kyle and the many like him".

She created the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation (The skeleton of a frog is the symbol for a fallen Navy SEAL) whose mission is to "serve those who serve us by providing meaningful interactive experiences that enrich family relationships".

American Sniper
Clint Eastwood directed American Sniper in 2014, based on the life of her and her husband. Taya was involved in the making of the film, working with the film's scriptwriter Jason Hall. She was played by Sienna Miller in the film. It was released nationwide in January 2015 by Warner Brothers and nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Screenplay.