“I’ve had the pleasure of serving with several Texans, and they were all born fighters. It must be something in the water down there.” — Major Rusty Bradley, Author ‘Lions of Kandahar.” 

Sergeant First Class Riley Stephens was born and raised in the sleepy farming town of Tolar, Texas about 45 minutes south of Ft. Worth. Places like Tolar are only further proof that some of our nation’s most elite warriors come from those towns barely discernible on a map, places that we might mention with the inevitable follow up question, “Where is that?” Six deployments, a litany of schools, and a legendary Special Operations career as a Special Forces Medical Sergeant. Sergeant First Class Riley Stephens, a true legend of the Special Operations community, some of his life depicted in the epic novel “Lions of Kandahar.” 

SFC Stephens took his last stand on September 28, 2012 providing covering fire for his unit in Wardak Province, Afghanistan. All of the words about Riley and an incredible career as a Special Forces Medical Sergeant pale in comparison though, to the memories of a father who witnessed his son’s first steps and supported him through his most painful tribulations as a Special Operations warrior. Mick Stephens might’ve been Riley’s father, but he was also his closest friend and on that day in September, Mick experienced one of the greatest tragedies that can possibly befall a father, he lost his first born.