Jane Horton had no idea the sacrifice her husband made over a year ago would lead her to the presidential campaign trail.
“This, for me is the most exciting thing in my life but not because a presidential candidate is talking about my husband and me but because my husband had one last wish,” said Horton. “We would ask him what do you want in Afghanistan (while he was serving there with the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team,) and he would always say, a new president. It’s a way that I can hands on make his dreams come true.”
Her husband is Oklahoma Army National Guard soldier, Spc. Christopher D. Horton. Spc. Horton was killed September 9th, 2011 while he was serving in Afghanistan’s Paktia province. He was known to many in the Guard as one of Oklahoma’s best snipers.
Spc. Horton campaigned for presidential candidate Mitt Romney in 2007-2008 when Romney was running for the Republican ticket.
“He loved Romney because he thought he was a great businessman and he thought he would be an incredible president and just an outstanding leader for our nation, ,” said Horton. “Chris loved this candidate so much and that fact hat this is the most important election in the history of the Untied States and Chris is still being a part of it- in his death and being one of the most influential people in the campaign it’s just amazing.”
Horton met with Romney and his family during the Republican National Convention. She told her story and gave them one of the bracelet’s she had made for Chris.
Romney has been wearing the bracelet in his campaign speeches and he has been telling the Hortons’ story.
“A reporter called me and she said he is telling your story, and I said yeah he did it once, and she said no he has done it three or four times now, and I was like what, just shocked,” said Horton. “Then she said something to me that put it all together for me, how would you feel if Chris’ story helped people relate to Romney more and it helped change the course of the election. I just started crying. I knew when Chris gave his life he gave his life for something bigger than himself.”
She just did not know his dream would take her to so many new places and to meet so many people.
“I am seeing the good that comes out of Chris’s death and because I am a Christian and I trust God and I know that God says he works out everything for the good for everybody who loves him,” said Horton.
She knows where her strength comes from.
“It is from God,” said Horton. “I couldn’t do any of this on my own. God gave me Chris. We were made for each other we were perfect for each other and Chris is gone, so I trust God that he has a purpose in all of it for me.”
Horton will be traveling with the Concerned Veterans for America group to raise awareness about veterans’ issues to cities along the east coast for the next ten days.
