The slain Navy SEAL who fell from a helicopter in Afghanistan wrote a poignant, patriotic “if I should die” letter to his wife to tell her he had a “blast” in the military and “died doing what made me happy.”
“I loved being a SEAL,” wrote Neil Roberts, 32, to his wife, Patty.
“If I died doing something for the Teams, then I died doing what made me happy. Very few people have the luxury of that.”
Portions of the letter, which was to be opened in the event of Roberts’ death, were released yesterday by a family friend at the request of the SEAL’s wife.
“Neil would want everyone to remember him as a loving husband and father, a loving son and brother, a true friend and warrior who never once questioned his commitment to his family or his country,” said family friend Christina Kalassay.
On Monday, Roberts, a father of an 18-month-old boy, fell off a Chinook helicopter. The chopper was rapidly maneuvering out of enemy range after being struck by a rocket-launched grenade that didn’t explode.
The exact cause of Roberts’ death – whether it was from the fall or at the hands of al Qaeda – is still not known. If he survived the drop, it’s likely he was dragged off and shot by al Qaeda holdouts.
In the letter, Roberts – who also leaves behind a twin brother and 10 other siblings – reflected about his family and childhood.
“I consider myself blessed with the best things a man could ever hope for,” Roberts wrote.
“My childhood is something I’ll always treasure. My family is the reason I’m the person I am today. They supported and cared for me in the best way possible.”
Roberts also fondly looked back on his time as a SEAL.
“Although I sacrificed personal freedom and many other things, I got just as much as I gave. My time in the Teams was special,” wrote Roberts, a petty officer 1st class who was based in Norfolk, Va.
“For all the times I was cold, wet, tired, sore, scared, hungry and angry, I had a blast.” With Post Wire Services
LETTER FROM A HERO
‘I consider myself blessed with the best things a man could ever hope for. My childhood is something I’ll always treasure. My family is the reason I’m the person I am today. They supported and cared for me in the best way possible.’
‘The Navy, although I sacrificed personal freedom and many other things, I got just as much as I gave. My time in the Teams was special. For all the times I was cold, wet, tired, sore, scared, hungry and angry, I had a blast. The bad was balanced equally with the good.’
‘All the times spent in the company of my teammates was when I felt the closest to the men I had the privilege to work with. I loved being a SEAL. If I died doing something for the Teams, then I died doing what made me happy. Very few people have the luxury of that.’