The chaos in Afghanistan continues after the Taliban took control of the country over the weekend.

The International Refugee Assistance Program reports 15,000 Americans are still trying to get out of Afghanistan and at least 100,000 Afghans have formally asked for help to leave their country.

Evacuation flights are happening, but not at the pace for which officials hoped. 

In the United States, servicemen and women, veterans and Gold Star families are watching it all unfold, including Gold Star Wife Jane Horton. 

Jane’s husband, Specialist Chris Horton, was serving as a sniper for the Oklahoma National Guard when he and two other Oklahoma soldiers were killed by enemy gunfire in Afghanistan on September 9, 2011. 

In the nearly 10 years since her husband’s death, Jane has become an unwavering voice for fallen heroes and Gold Star families. She is a former senior advisor for the Department of Defense and she also served as a Congressional and Military Liaison for the Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington D.C. 

She has visited Afghanistan on six different occasions, most recently this summer. She said she is heartbroken over what is happening and has been sharing ideas on social media on how Americans can help. 

“As the situation in Afghanistan is unfolding into a horrific event we are also seeing a massive crisis here in America play out in the military community that has served/ sacrificed in Afghanistan and beyond.

I am so grateful for everyone that wants to donate and help in some way and that is so important- but I ask Americans today to reach out to those you know who have served or sacrificed (Gold Star and Surviving Families) in Afghanistan. They NEED to hear from you and they need their community to wrap their arms around them. 

Do not ask them what they need. Nobody knows what they need. Please be creative and proactive- bring them dinner, help with the kids, mow their lawn or just tell them you care.

Have your kids make them a care package or make them cards thanking them for their service with homemade cookies.

Or just be there to listen. Everyone needs to talk. I have never in my lifetime seen emotion so high or devastation so painfully deep. I don’t know how to put in words how heavy this is or how far-reaching this is or how profoundly this is affecting my precious men and women in uniform and Gold Star families.

We need you right now and probably will for the near future.

Please reach out in your communities. Do not be afraid to do something.”

Additionally, Jane has set up an online fundraiser to help families with immediate needs who have fled Afghanistan or are in Afghanistan and in danger. She said it is one way to show the Afghans that the people of America care about them.