USA. North Ogden, Utah. 2019. Jennie Taylor measures a tombstone for the grave of her husband, Brent. She wasn’t home when the casualty notification team arrived at her door and received a cell phone call to go to the National Guard headquarters. As her sister drove her, she wrote, “If he is dead, I have to process this. I don’t have a choice. I can’t fall apart. My kids matter most.” She said she knew he was dead when she arrived and no one would look her in the eyes. Major Abdul Rahman Rahmani, an Afghan army helicopter pilot who worked with Brent, posted a letter addressed to Jennie that outlined his admira- tion, calling Brent a “compassionate man whose life was not just meaningful, it was inspirational.”
The community of North Ogden, where Brent was mayor, gave enor- mous financial support, raising $500,000 for the family, while a foundation paid off the remaining $250,000 of their mortgage. A local car dealership gave Jennie a new car.