Wyoming Legislature honors Rylee McCollum, 21 other fallen service members
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (KIFI) - The Wyoming House and Senate came together Tuesday afternoon to honor Marine Lance Corporal Rylee McCollum and 21 other military service members from Wyoming who have died while serving since September 11, 2001.
Mccollum, a resident of Bondurant, was among 13 service members killed by a suicide bomb attack at the Kabul Airport as the United States withdrew from Afghanistan.
Rylee's father spoke of his desire to serve.
"Rylee was a patriot," James McCollum said. "Rylee was Wyoming through and through. He knew he wanted to be a marine by the time he was three years old. It wasn’t I want to be a Marine it was I am going to be a marine. He did exactly what he wanted to do. He was exactly where he wanted to be. We learned in the aftermath he was with who he wanted to be with and died doing something greater than himself. You guys do that every day. You are making a difference for the rest of us and I like to think Rylee did that too. Thank you."
