TACOMA — Thousands of people have been donating to the widow of a Washington National Guard Green Beret killed in Afghanistan this week, hoping to ease her worries as the family prepares for his burial.
A GoFundMe account created for Staff Sgt. Matthew McClintock’s widow, Alexandra, had raised more than $78,000 as of Friday.
Family members of fallen military service members receive compensation from the military and often have life insurance polices that go beyond what the government provides.
The money raised will offset the family’s expenses before compensation from the government arrives.
Alexandra McClintock said in a message on the website that she was overwhelmed by the support shown to her family.
“I will never know the words to express the gratitude I have for the outpouring of love, the hundreds of people reaching out to help,” she wrote. “I wish more than anything there was a playbook for how to handle this, unfortunately there is no way to express the depth of our grief.”
The family has an infant son, Declan. Alexandra McClintock wrote that she and her husband were together for three years.
“He lived the life he wanted and I can say without a doubt if he knew when he woke up that day that it would be his last, he wouldn’t have changed a thing,” she wrote. “My husband, my love, my darling, my soul mate, is a hero and I am so moved by how many of you have celebrated the amazing man he was.”
Matthew McClintock, 30, of Des Moines was killed in Afghanistan’s Helmand province on Tuesday. He was serving with the National Guard’s 19th Special Forces Group. He previously served in Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s 1st Special Forces Group as an active-duty Green Beret.
Two other soldiers were injured in the battle. They were not members of the Washington National Guard.
The Washington National Guard is preparing a memorial for McClintock. It likely will take place several weeks from now.
