Widow of man killed in Afghanistan shares experience dealing with loss

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Jennie Taylor, who lost her husband, Maj. Brent Taylor, in Afghanistan, shared her experiences with Sgt. Bill Hoover’s family on loss.

Hooser’s tragic death thrust his family into a world that is changed forever.

Taylor pointed out that while everyone grieves differently, there can be mutual feelings between those who have lost loved ones in the service.

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“There is a real sadness that we all feel. Thank you for loving a man — who loved his community — enough to support him in his service,” Taylor said.

She recalled the double shock of losing her husband and then seeing the overwhelming support of the community.

“The shock that he was gone and that this even happened was awful and awful, but there was a similar level of shock at how good the community can be,” she said.

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Taylor hoped the Hoosers would find solace in the support of the community, viewing each act of kindness as a gesture of thanks, grief and gratitude.

“We can’t solve most things, but we can deal with it,” Taylor said.

She said there may be a common fear among widows of service members.

Taylor said, “You will be concerned that they will be forgotten and that his service, his life lived, might be swallowed up in the way of death, when in reality it is a lifetime, it is a pattern of service.”

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