American Sniper Chris Kyle got an unexpected tribute on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" Monday night. This week, producers asked the competing celebrities to choose an idol to honor on the dance floor. The icons ranged from Grace Kelly to Marc Anthony, while others chose family members who have inspired them. Alek Skarlatos, one of the U.S. servicemen who helped subdue a terrorist on a train in Paris, decided to honor his sniper shooting hero with a touching contemporary routine.
“Not only was he the greatest sniper in American history, but after he got out of the military, he spent a lot of time with veterans, helping people with PTSD and things like that,” Skarlatos explained in his video package.
Kyle's widow, Taya, was moved by Alek's choice. Like her husband, Taya said Alek's true heroism is his humility. They're just a couple of guys who love their country.
“Chris just said you just don’t know until you’re in the situation, what you would do, but Alek’s story is truly extraordinary,” she said. “That shows his true character.”
In the past year or so, political correctness infected college campuses to the point where "American Sniper" was nearly censored and liberals dared to call Kyle a "coward." So, it’s nice to see him being so recognized on a well-watched primetime program for his patriotic efforts.
Backstage, Skarlatos was joined by the two friends that helped stopped the train terrorist. When he and his partner Lindsay scored a 25 out of 30 for their dance, his compatriots were pretty "upset." Host Erin Andrews invited them to walk out to the judges' table to have a little talk.