President Trump honored Staten Island native Michael Ollis with a posthumous Medal of Honor for his bravery and sacrifice while serving in Afghanistan.
“Michael grew up seeing the World Trade Center across the bay — I know Staten Island so well. The people in Staten Island are amazing,” the Queens-born president said.
Ollis enlisted in the Army after graduating from high school in 2006.
On Aug. 28, 2013, while serving in Afghanistan, Ollis died while protecting a Polish soldier from a suicide attack by a member of the Taliban.
“Bravery is amazing,” Trump said. “Ollis was killed just weeks before his 25th birthday, and nobody was any more brave.”
Karol Cierpica, whose life Ollis saved, attended the White House ceremony with his son, named Michael in Ollis’ honor.
“Thank you for giving America your beloved son,” the president told Ollis’ parents, who were also in attendance.
