Stella Shaw

Interview with the wife of fallen HRT member Steve Shaw. Special Agents Shaw and Christopher W. Lorek died May 17, 2013, during a maritime counterterrorism exercise off the coast of Virginia Beach, Virginia. The members of the Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) were fast-roping out of a helicopter when the aircraft encountered serious difficulties, causing the men to fall a significant distance into the water and suffer fatal injuries.


Video Transcript

He was just very easygoing. Very open. Very sincere. He wasn’t the type of person that talked about himself a lot, as I’m sure you’ve heard from a lot of different people.

He asks a lot of questions about you. He was interested in knowing about you. And so that definitely caught my attention.

He was passionate about what he did. He really, really enjoyed his job. He wanted to make a difference. And you know he said HRT wasn’t just a job; he said it was a calling. And I believe so. I really think that’s what he felt.

Steve told me on multiple occasions that his job is dangerous and sometimes they would do things that most people wouldn't even dream of doing. And he told me if you ever get a knock at the door and it’s guys from the team you know something went wrong. And I kind of just stored that in the back of my mind. Left it there. Didn't think anything of it.

So, the day of, which was May 17th, it was a Friday, I got a knock at my door and I looked out and saw a bunch of guys in that, their shirt with the HRT logo.

I just flashed back to that moment when Steve told me if ever there was that knock at the door.

A lot of people have talked about Steve from the perspective of a friend, of a coworker. But as a father, as a husband, he was an unbelievable dad, an unbelievable husband who really put his kids and myself before him.

I think my kids give me that strength that I need to deal with it as best as I can and to move forward as best as I can, just because I really don't have any other option. Kids are the driving force that keep everything moving every day. It’s a new day and you try to make the best of it.

Video Download

Video Source