William Kyle Carpenter. You might know his name, you might not, but you can never dispute the fact he is a certified American hero.
At the age of 21, Kyle earned the rank of Lance Corporal in the United States Marines. In 2010, he was sent into war in Afghanistan.
During a firefight, a grenade landed near where Kyle and another Marine were fighting. Without thinking twice, Kyle leapt into action …
It was a split-second decision that spoke volumes over Kyle’s indomitable strength, but would ultimately change his life forever. Kyle jumped on the grenade, using his body as a shield in order to save his friend.
He offered up his life in sacrifice so that his fellow Marine might be spared.
Naturally, he suffered devastating injuries as a result of the ensuing explosion. His body was riddled with shrapnel and the bones in his skull and face were shattered. On top of that, Kyle lost part of his jaw, one of his lungs collapsed, and he was declared P.E.A (patient expired on arrival) when he got back to Camp Bastion.