Taya Kyle has been named as one of the three new judges for the Miss America pageant this fall.
Along with “Shark Tank’s” Kevin O’Leary and snowboarder Amy Purdy, the Miss America Organization announced Wednesday that the American Sniper widow will join Brett Eldredge as a judge for the beauty pageant that will take place this September.
Miss America will be held at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J. (RELATED: American Sniper’ Just Became The TOP FILM Of 2014)
(Photo: Getty Images)
Taya married the American sharpshooter in 2002, and she’s portrayed in the film based on his life, “American Sniper.”
After Kyle was murdered by a marine at a gun range in February of 2013, his wife authored a book about how she dealt with his death, called “American Wife: A Memoir of Love, War, Faith and Renewal.”
“He just had this softness and this tenderness and genuine caring heart for us,” Taya said once of her husband. “And, you know, I just, I continue to look back and be in awe of how he managed it all so well, honestly.”
“I’ve gotten to experience more of what it’s like to be in great pain and try to manage a family, and he did a great job.” (RELATED: Don’t Think ‘American Sniper’ Got SNUBBED By The Academy? This Will Change Your Mind)