Leia's Daddy

Barry Gutierrez

The Rocky Mountain News

That's all he wanted to do, is come home and put her(Leia) on his chest, said Dana Baum, Rayn's mother. A photograph of Leia Ryan Baum was placed on her father Sgt. Ryan John Baum's chest for visitation. Rayn was killed in action in Karmah, Iraq May 18, 2007. Ryan was scheduled to return home to be present for the birth of his daughter Leia Ryan Baum who was born 11 days after his death. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division.

Barry Gutierrez, "Leia's Daddy," in POYi Archive, Item #40649, http://archive.poy.org/index.php/items/show/40649 (accessed June 9, 2025).