Stay Safe: Chapter Nine

Stay Safe Book

Aug 12

Written By ereeves

What follows is a chapter from "Stay Safe: Life After Loss," a book that I wrote following the death of my brother, Robert James Reeves. Rob, only 14-months younger than me and 32 years old at the time of his death, was a Navy SEAL on the prestigious SEAL Team 6. On August 6, 2011, while on a mission in Afghanistan, he and too many of his teammates and other servicemen, lost their lives when their helicopter was shot down by enemy fire. It was the single largest loss of American life in the Afghan war. And because of the high profile nature of this event–being on the cusp of the Bin Laden mission and the number of those lost–my dad and I were part of many, many memorials and events, and the recipients of much outreach, and the point of contact for all those wanting to do something in Rob’s memory. This book chronicles the first month after his death. I am releasing a chapter a day starting August 5th as we mark the fourth anniversary of life without him.

The Obituary of Rob Reeves

Robert James Reeves, born August 2, 1979, was killed in action on August 6, 2011 fighting for his country as a United States Navy SEAL. Smart, funny, honorable, loyal, kind and generous, Rob was truly a special force in our lives. We are heartbroken to lose him too soon.Rob will be remembered as a big-hearted son, brother, friend and teammate who would do anything to support those close to him. His steadfast loyalty sent him to the sides of family members and friends at a moment's notice, regardless of his own priorities. He was a rock of support and could always diffuse a tense situation, usually dissolving a somber room into one full of laughter. Rob's quick wit, humor and sarcasm will be missed by all those who had the pleasure of laughing, usually at their own expenses, courtesy of Rob.Rob had a quiet humility that kept him from touting his many achievements and talents (although his proud father usually made up for this). He approached every challenge in life with intense curiosity and an astounding determination to master his next chosen task, which he inevitably did. He had an insatiable appetite for learning new things, gaining the most of all life's offerings and a genuine interest in making things better. His itch to experience life and continue learning took him around the world learning languages, mountain climbing, starting businesses, base jumping, negotiating, motorcycling, teaching, and flying. And these are just a few of his recent adventures.For 13 years Rob served admirably in the United States Navy. He served tours of duty all across the world and among his many military commendations he was the recipient of four Bronze Stars. A dedicated soldier, he pursued his life's work with passion and pride, and he shared that pride with his beloved teammates, family and friends.Rob is preceded in death by his mother, Jo Sheryn Batliner Reeves, his grandfathers, Robert Vincent Batliner and James Otis Reeves, and his cousin Samuel Wyatt Stoothoff. He is survived by his father, James Weldon Reeves, his sister, Emily Reeves, and his grandmothers, Francis Stallcup Reeves and Jo Nell Batliner.A memorial service will be held in Shreveport, Louisiana on August 13, 2011 at 11 AM in St. Mark's Cathedral. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that you consider a donation to the Wounded Warrior (http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/) or the Navy SEAL Foundation (http://www.nswfoundation.org/) to support the families of Rob's fallen teammates and the Navy SEAL communities.

Read other chapters of this book.

ereeves