The late Chris Kyle, the U.S. Navy SEAL marksman who was depicted in the blockbuster film “American Sniper,” will have a day to honor him in his home state of Texas.

Kyle, known for his 160 confirmed kills as a military sniper and his multiple tours in Iraq, is considered the most lethal sniper in U.S. history. He was depicted by Bradley Cooper in the film, which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. As a result, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced that he was setting aside Feb. 2 as Chris Kyle Day to “honor our military heroes,” according to a CNN report.

Kyle is a controversial figure who was sued successfully by former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura for defamation and was allegedly shot to death by a Marine veteran at a Texas gun range in 2013. However, he was well loved in Texas, with thousands gathering to mourn him in a 200-mile funeral procession from a memorial service at Texas Stadium in Dallas to his grave in Austin.

The film, which was directed by Clint Eastwood, has so far grossed $107 million in its first weekend of wide release this month, which is a huge performance for an R-rated drama in the winter months.

Kyle attended Tarleton State University in Stephenville after graduating from high school in 1992, and worked for two years as a ranch hand before joining the Navy in 1999.

His wife thought that Bradley Cooper did an “amazing job” portraying Kyle in the movie.