Chris Kyle’s wife, Taya, has had a long and eventful life after her husband’s death and the events of American Sniper. American Sniper isn’t very accurate to the Iraq War, and it also isn’t accurate to many of the details of Taya and Chris’ marriage. Taya Kyle, played by Sienna Miller in American Sniper, met her future husband in 2001, and the two were married in 2002. They had two children together, Colton and McKenna, which the movie also depicts, but the true story behind American Sniper diverges from there. Everything from their wedding to the reason Chris returned from Iraq was different.

American Sniper heavily changed the story of Taya and Chris’ relationship, but it also left Taya’s story on an uncertain note. American Sniper ends just before Chris’ death in 2013, and since the Clint Eastwood-directed film was made in 2015, it doesn’t reveal what happened to Taya Kyle after her husband’s murder. In many ways, Taya’s life after the events of American Sniper continued the work Chris began to do after his tours of duty, though she’s also made a name for herself in more ways than one.

Taya Kyle Published An Autobiography About Her Life As A Military Wife & Chris Kyle’s Death In 2015

Taya Kyle’s Autobiography Became A New York Times Bestseller

Chris Kyle’s autobiography, “American Sniper,” was the basis of the 2015 movie and a best-seller, but it wasn’t the only autobiographical account of his life. In 2015, Taya Kyle published her own autobiography, тιтled “American Wife: A Memoir of Love, Service, Faith, and Renewal,” (via HarperCollins). Taya’s autobiography, co-written by Jim DeFelice, details her experiences as a military wife and her marriage to Chris. Taya also wrote about her emotions and grief following Chris’ murder and her experience raising her two children alone. The autobiography also earned the distinction of being a New York Times bestseller.

Taya Kyle Became More Involved In Political Activism After Chris Kyle’s Death

Taya Founded A Charity Aimed At Helping Veterans & Their Families & Got Involved In Conservative Politics

Before she was a bestselling author, Taya Kyle actually got into philanthropic work and political activism. In 2014, Taya founded the Taya and Chris Kyle Foundation, a charity aimed at helping military members, first responders, and their families (via Taya and Chris Kyle Foundation). The charity offers guidance to veterans and active-duty members of the military to help them cope with the stress of deployment, maintain their relationships with spouses and families domestically, and transition from service to the workplace. Taya also frequently appeared in interviews and other media events over the years, and she was hired as a contributor for Fox News in 2016 (via Fox News).

In 2020, Taya Kyle got more directly involved in politics. She campaigned for the Board of Trustees for the school district of Midlothian, Texas, which is south of Dallas, though she withdrew from the race (via Focus Daily News). Taya Kyle cited the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on her career and the need for her to spend time with her children as the reasons for her withdrawal from the race. Taya has also had a few more notable moments of political activism: she endorsed Republican candidate Rick Perry and later Ted Cruz in the 2016 presidential election (via Reuters).

Where Taya Kyle Is Today

Taya Kyle Still Gives Interviews About Chris’ Legacy & Recently Wrote A Christian Children’s Book

Now, over a decade after both Chris Kyle’s death and American Sniper, Taya Kyle still lives a varied life. She continues to work with the Taya and Chris Kyle Foundation and raise her children. Taya’s son, Colton, started his own apparel brand named “American Sniper,” while her daughter, McKenna, is pursuing a career in law enforcement (via Taya and Chris Kyle Foundation). Taya also still occasionally appears in the news for interviews, opinions, and public speaking events (via Washington Times). She also maintains an online presence through social media.

Perhaps most interestingly, Taya Kyle returned to her career as an author. In 2020, Taya published the book “American Spirit: Profiles in Resilience, Courage, and Faith,” (via HarpersCollins) and in 2024, she published a Christian children’s book тιтled “Prayers for Bears: Bailey the Grateful Bear,” (via Barnes & Noble). Taya Kyle also launched her own apparel brand (via Taya Kyle). While American Sniper may not tell the whole story of Taya Kyle, she’s had many noteworthy exploits in the years since her husband’s pᴀssing.