[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 157 (Monday, September 13, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6444-S6445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                 Honoring Lance Corporal Rylee McCollum

  Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I come to the floor today to pay 
tribute to the life and service of LCpl Rylee McCollum. He was from 
Bondurant, WY.
  On Thursday, August 26, the United States lost 13 men and women in 
uniform: 11 marines, an Army soldier, and a Navy corpsman. They were 
killed by a terrorist attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. At least 20 
additional marines were wounded. It was the deadliest day for our 
Nation's military in more than a decade.
  One of those fallen heroes was LCpl Rylee McCollum. He was just 20 
years old. Rylee McCollum's life demonstrated the best of our Nation. 
His dad Jim told me that Rylee was full-blooded red, white, and blue--
and from the very beginning.
  Rylee's dad Jim wanted to serve in the military, but he couldn't 
because of a medical issue. Well, his son Rylee grew up with that same 
great desire to serve our Nation. Rylee's family said he wanted to be a 
marine from the very beginning. His sister Royce said that he ran 
around in his diapers and cowboy boots with his rifle.
  He attended Jackson Hole High School. He graduated from Summit 
Innovations High School in Wyoming. And he made a real name for himself 
all around the State as a champion wrestler.
  Now, he had the kind of talents and abilities with which he could 
have done anything and everything. He wanted to serve America. He 
joined the Marines literally as soon as he could. He signed up on his 
18th birthday. His plan was to serve in uniform and then come home to 
Wyoming. His goal was to teach history and coach wrestling.
  On August 26, on his first deployment, he stood guard at the Hamid 
Karzai Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. He protected the airport as 
Americans and our allies escaped to safety. His mission saved thousands 
of lives. While Rylee was protecting others, he was killed by a 
terrorist bomb.
  Now, Rylee had just been married in February. His wife Gigi was 
expecting their first child, and he was excited to become a father. His 
child will never know Rylee. Yet his child will always know that Rylee 
McCollum, her father, was a hero.
  On Friday, I stood side by side with Rylee's family and his pregnant 
wife Gigi at the airport in Jackson, WY, as Rylee's flag-draped casket 
was brought home for his very last trip to Wyoming. And today I got a 
text from Gigi with this magnificent picture. The text came within the 
last hour or so, and we were able to do a blowup of the text picture: 
Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton, WY, welcomes baby girl Levi Rylee Rose, 
8 pounds, 10 ounces, September 13--today--at 2 a.m. There is the baby, 
and there is the cutout of her father, Rylee McCollum.
  Madam President, people in Wyoming and all across America have shown 
their love and respect and appreciation and admiration for Rylee and 
his family. People have already donated close to a million dollars to 
help Gigi and the baby. They donated these funds through a GoFundMe 
page on the internet, and it is a testament to the gratitude of the 
American people for the life and service of Rylee McCollum.
  After Rylee's passing, a family friend in Jackson named Regi Stone 
told a story on Facebook. The story is about a conversation he once had 
with Rylee and with Regi's son Eli. Eli also serves in uniform. Regi 
says Eli and Rylee once said: If anything ever happened to us, just 
know we were doing what we loved.
  What Rylee McCollum loved was protecting others. What Rylee McCollum 
loved was service. What Rylee McCollum loved was America.
  And as Jim McCollum told me, he said: Rylee is standing guard tonight 
at the gates of Heaven.
  Madam President, Rylee McCollum is an American hero. His name will 
always be held in honor throughout Wyoming. For the half-million people 
of our State, we all think of Rylee and Gigi and now the baby as part 
of our family.
  May God comfort his family, and may God continue to bless this great

[[Page S6445]]

country for which Rylee McCollum gave his life.