WELCOME, N.C. — Many Americans remember exactly where they were 23 years ago when news broke of the twin towers being hit on Sept. 11, 2001. It prompted many to join the fight against terrorism. 

Once a month, Veterans Bridge Home hosts a veterans coffee event for local veterans, with this month’s falling on Patriots Day at Richard Childress Racing. 

Retired Master Sgt. Kevin Holland (Courtesy Kevin Holland)

Veterans from before and after 9/11 were at the event, as well as others who enlisted because of the terrorist attack, EMS personnel, Gold Star families, families of fallen EMS members in honor of this somber day and one Wilkes County native who will forever be marked in history. 

Retired Master Sgt. Kevin Holland’s heroes have always been veterans. 

“When it came time for me to graduate high school, that's all I thought about, was going to be a SEAL,” Holland said. 

After intensive training and moving through the ranks, he succeeded in his dream. He helped fight the war on terrorism for over 20 years in around 2,000 combat missions.

Eventually he retired to spend more time with his family, working as a North Carolina wildlife officer until he heard about the planes crashing into the twin towers. 

“I told my wife, I said, ‘A terrorist just flew a jetliner into the World Trade Center.’ And she's like, ‘No… no…. really?’ And then the second one hit and then she's like, ‘You're not going back.’” 

But Holland says that is exactly what he needed to do, reenlisting in the service the next day. 

“I took the advice of an old friend who was still on active duty there, and I went a different route. He advised me to go try out for the Army Special Premiere Special Mission Unit. He said, if you want to get in the fight, go there, because that bunch is already at it. I volunteered for the selection and I made it through it. In spring of 2002, I reported to the unit. After eight more months of training, there were eight of us left,” Holland said. 

Holland and his team were given some of the deck of cards terrorists to take down. 

Kevin Holland with one of his Purple Hearts. (Courtesy Kevin Holland)

“We were assigned to squadrons and we went to war. In 2003, our first job was to kill or capture the Ba’ath Party members in Iraq, and our unit ended up taking out most of the infamous deck of cards, including the Ace of Spades,” Holland said. 

Holland was the one to grab Saddam Hussein out of his spider hole, marking his place in history forever. 

“Everybody was ecstatic and as a historical moment [everyone] thereby focuses on that moment, this is the guy,” Holland said. 

After his capture, Holland say they went after the ones responsible for the attacks on the U.S., al-Qaida. 

“I wish I could have done way more. I just tried to do my part… when you leave that unit, you get a plaque that says ‘Thanks,’ because you get more from them than you gave them,” Holland said. 

As each year passes, the pain felt from that somber day continues to serve as a reminder for what was lost and who was lost. Holland gets choked up when making his speech, surrounded by those who give their all.

“I'm proud to know firsthand that our generation took care of business as much as they would let us. And I hope we did our veterans of the past proud. I salute you and all those who did not make it home,” Holland said.

Holland is widely considered the only person to serve in Tier 1 units of the Navy and Army.

He has received over 30 of the U.S. military's highest honors and awards — including seven Bronze Stars, with two awarded for valor in combat, along with two Purple Hearts.

He is still working to make a difference in his retirement, taking part in programs including Wounded Warriors and helping to stop child trafficking.