(Fremont County, WY) – Two GoFundMe campaigns have been set up to help support 20-year-old U.S. Marine Rylee McCollum’s wife and unborn child.
Lance Corporal McCollum, of Jackson, was one of the 13 U.S. service members killed on August 26th as a result of an enemy attack while supporting non-combatant evacuation operations in Kabul, Afghanistan, according to the Department of Defense.
Numerous national news outlets have confirmed that McCollum’s wife, Jiennah “Gigi” McCollum, is expecting their first child in September.
Into The Breach Supply Co. set up a GoFundMe campaign for their child which, at the time of this publishing, has surpassed $327,000 donations in two days.
“This is a fund specifically dedicated to the education and upbringing of Marine Rylee McCollum’s child who is expected for September,” the campaign information states. “His sacrifice at HKIA to protect the lives of those who cannot themselves will not be forgotten.”
Gigi’s mother, Jill Crayton, also set up a GoFundMe to help support her daughter; over $150,000 in donations have been made to this fund as well.
Crayton told WCNC Charolette that she had never met Lance Corporal McCollum since the two eloped in February this year, but had plans to meet him in October. Click here to read more.
McCollum’s death was one of the first to be publicly announced after a press release from Wyoming State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon released statements on August 27th. Click here to read their statements.
As a reminder, Governor Gordon has ordered both the U.S. and State of Wyoming flags to half-staff through sunset on August 30th in honor of McCollum and the 12 other service members.