His sacrifice will reside on.
An Military employees sergeant from Staten Island who died saving a fellow soldier’s life in Afghanistan was honored at an emotional ceremony at his old fashioned Wednesday.
Conflict medals earned by Military Employees Sgt. Michael Ollis — who leapt between a suicide bomber and Polish Lt. Karol Cierpica in Ghazni in August 2013 — had been donated for a memorial show at The Michael J Petridies Faculty in the course of the heartfelt occasion.
“Michael was an actual hero,” mentioned Cierpica, who flew from Poland along with his household to pay respect to Ollis.
“He confirmed me the definition of service. Michael ran after me, with out helmet, with out physique armor, solely with gun and he ran to me as a result of he knew somebody wanted assist,” he mentioned.
“I really feel that a part of my coronary heart is on Staten Island.”
Cierpica was joined by his son, Michael, who he named after the fallen soldier.
“Naming my son after Michael was my spouse’s concept and it made sense to me,” mentioned Cierpica, who was flanked by his spouse Basia and elementary-school-aged son Michael.
He additionally informed attendees — together with Ollis’ mother Linda and father Bob — that the Staten Island soldier’s reminiscence will proceed in his family.
“Naming my son after Michael was my spouse’s concept and it made sense to me,” mentioned Cierpica, who was flanked by his spouse Basia and elementary-school-aged son Michael.
Throughout the ceremony, audio system urged the viewers to “be like Mike” and college students unveiled “a heroes nook” with particulars about his life — prompting Ollis’ household to tear up.
“It’s an emotional day for us,” Linda Ollis, informed The Put up.
“Being right here brings again so many reminiscences for us from when he was a little bit boy.”
Ollis’ donated medals embrace the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest army ornament, marketing campaign medals and the purple coronary heart.
Robert Ollis mentioned his son had a particular connection to the college the place his medals will now be stored.
“Michael obtained into mischief however he liked coming to high school. He by no means gave us a tough time coming right here. He didn’t love homework however he had good mates and was a very good good friend to many,” he mentioned.
The New Dorp native was 24 years previous when he was killed by a suicide bomber whereas on his third tour of obligation throughout Operation Enduring Freedom.
He was as a consequence of return house simply two months later.
Olli’s bravery was memorialized in a ebook written by Tom Sileo which detailed the devastating day Cierpica was saved.
A Staten Island ferry was additionally named after him in 2021.
The ebook revealed Ollis had spent eight months in Ghazni and was about to fly out to Bagram when a truck carrying 3,000 kilos of explosives slammed into the partitions of the soldier’s base.
The unprecedented assault from rebel forces was adopted by mortars and machine gun hearth.
As smoke stuffed the air, Taliban fighters superior and Ollis who, with none protecting gear, sprung into motion returning hearth amid the onslaught.
A lot of the world was suffering from physique components with the identification of fallen troopers masked among the many chaos.
That’s when Ollis noticed the Polish soldier caught within the crossfire.
Abruptly, a Taliban fighter sporting a suicide bomb vest charged towards Cierpica, who had been working as an officer in NATO’s Reconstruction Group.
Inside seconds, Ollis jumped between Cierpica and the suicide bomber bearing the brunt of the blast.
Regardless of medical help, he was pronounced useless, simply three weeks earlier than his twenty fifth birthday.
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