INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. -- A veteran who nearly lost his life 10 years ago while serving in Afghanistan was honored Saturday afternoon in Union County.
What You Need To Know
- In April 2010 while on patrol in Afghanistan Sgt. Michael Verardo was hit by an IED.
- He lost his leg, most of his arm and suffered a traumatic brain injury.
- Saturday he was honored with a bench dedication and letter from the President.
Sgt. Michael Verardo has made a lot of progress over the last decade, but his wife says it hasn’t been easy.
“Michael’s road home from war has been very difficult,” wife, Sarah Verardo said. “He has had more than 100 surgeries, and he continues to face new medical conditions and even declines.”
Former U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Donald McAlister served with Verardo in Afghanistan. During a ceremony in Verardo’s honor Saturday he read a letter from President Donald Trump.
“Dear Sergeant Verardo, as commander in chief I extend my sincere gratitude to you for your service to our country and the United States Army,” McAlister said while reading the letter during the ceremony. “Your actions have demonstrated that there is no greater courage than that which burns in the hearts of American warriors.”
A bench was also dedicated in Verardo’s honor during the ceremony at Jack Campbell Memorial Park in Indian Trail.
“You have to owe guys like that everything because they gave everything for you,” McAlister said. “Subconsciously they didn’t know they were doing it all for you. To him, he was doing his job and he was doing it for us.”
Senator Thom Tillis and the U.S. Secretary of Veteran Affairs, Robert Wilkie, both gave speeches during the event. Wilkie said Verardo has made huge progress over the last decade and it’s thanks in part to his loving wife.
“What we are doing here is recognizing her as a representative of all the families who take care of wounded soldiers and older veterans,” Wilkie said.
Sarah Verardo said it has been an uphill battle, but she is just happy her husband is alive.
“It’s really important to me that the civilians in our communities know that there are wounded heroes in every single corner of America, and the fight doesn’t end when they leave the battlefield,” Sarah said.
The ceremony was put on by The Independence Fund. The organization helps empower the nation’s catastrophically wounded in battle and helps them overcome physical and emotional challenges.