Army Medal of Honor Recipient at Center of Councilman's 4-Year, $250K Fight to Memorialize His Sacrifice

Published Aug 24, 2026, 5:00 AM EDT

Army Sgt. Christopher Celiz was killed in 2018 in Afghanistan and a councilman in his South Carolina hometown is raising money for a memorial.

Bob Jackson is trying to honor the memory of a local military hero and posthumous Medal of Honor recipient who tragically lost his life. But after four years of efforts, fundraising for a permanent memorial has hit a wall. Jackson, a Summerville, S.C., councilman since 2007, has made it his mission to honor one of his town's own. Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Celiz, a Summerville native, was killed in 2018 in Afghanistan.

Chris Celiz (US Army)

Celiz deployed from 2008 to 2009 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to the service, and then from 2011 to 2012 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was on his fifth deployment with the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, when he died. It was in 2022 when Jackson took the local mantle of wanting to preserve Celiz's memory, pushing residents, organizations and veterans' groups in and around the 60,000-resident city in the Palmetto State to fundraise for a permanent memorial dedicated to Celiz's service. Four years later, roughly $130,000 has been raised; however, the memorial requires approximately $250,000 for completion and erection.