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Retired Army Sgt. Michael Verardo, one of America’s most catastrophically wounded post-9/11 veterans, was laid to rest Tuesday with full military honors at Weddington Methodist Church in North Carolina.
Family, friends, paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division and national leaders gathered to remember a soldier, husband and father whose resilience inspired a nation.
Verardo was one of the most catastrophically wounded veterans of the post-9/11 generation. Verardo’s injuries and his choice to keep living with purpose were honored by those who rose to speak on his behalf.
Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin told mourners she would forever carry the image of Verardo forcing himself upright on his prosthetic leg to salute the American flag. “Michael always stood to salute the flag, even when it was not easy or comfortable to do so,” she said.
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“The image that will stick with me forever was Michael standing to salute the flag on the day North Carolinians came out to welcome his beloved Afghan translator Johnny and his family after Sarah arranged their harrowing rescue during the chaotic and violent withdrawal from Afghanistan,” Griffin said.
That image captured the essence of a man who refused to give up. On April 24, 2010, an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan’s Arghandab Valley took his left leg, shattered and shredded his left arm, and left him with burns and a traumatic brain injury. He was labeled “death imminent” by medics, but survived a coma and more than 120 surgeries.
At Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Verardo endured years of grueling rehabilitation. He learned to walk again on a prosthetic leg, and he encouraged other wounded warriors who faced their own battles. Three years after the blast, he married his high school sweetheart Sarah who stood faithfully by his side as caregiver and partner through every trial.
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Together, they built a family. Verardo delighted in being Dad to Grace, known as Gigi, Mary Scott and Elizabeth. Sarah sought to help other families by writing “Hero at Home,” a children’s book explaining the unseen wounds of war.
On Tuesday, their eldest daughter, now 11, stood bravely before the congregation. “I am proud of my dad because he fought so long and so hard to stay alive for us. He never gave up,” Gigi said. “If I could tell him one thing right now, it would be thank you. Thank you for being my dad. I love you. I promise I will never forget you, and you’ll be part of everything I do every single day.”
Even as he endured his own battles, Verardo devoted himself to lifting others. With Sarah, he championed the Independence Fund’s Trackchairs program, giving wounded warriors freedom of movement once thought lost, and Operation Resiliency, a lifeline for veterans struggling after war aimed at reuniting veterans to prevent suicide. His work became a mission of service beyond the battlefield, proof that sacrifice could be transformed into hope for others.
Those who knew him best testified to the depth of that mission. “He could have gone home after the first injury, but not Mike,” said Sen. Thom Tillis. “He was committed to the mission. Back home, he made it his mission to recover, to raise a family, to help others. Michael never fully recovered from his wounds on that battlefield, but he did not let that stop him. Mission accomplished, my friend.”
Former Vice President Mike Pence spoke of a soldier whose faith never dimmed. “Through it all, he smiled, radiating a faith and courage that inspired everyone he encountered. This time last week, on the far side of forever, someone else smiled first. And Michael, now whole again, heard the words: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant’.”
The sanctuary was filled with Verardo’s comrades, paratroopers, medics, and brothers-in-arms, a gathering that Col. Adam Armstrong called a testament to his character.
Addressing Verardo’s daughters, Col. Armstrong said: “Your father was the best of all of us. It is rare indeed for so many of a man’s comrades to converge… a testament to what your dad meant to us all.”
In her final farewell, Sarah shared the vow she made as the American flag was laid across her husband’s body. “When these heroic first responders draped the American flag over him, I told Michael… I will love you forever. Every hour of my life will be a living testament to you.”
Sgt. Michael Verardo’s life was defined by sacrifice, resilience, and devotion. His legacy will endure in the courage of his brothers-in-arms in the Bravo Company, the 2nd Battalion of the 508th Infantry Parachute Infantry Regiment, and through the advocacy of his wife and the lives of his three daughters.
In her farewell, Sarah gave him a fitting benediction. “Michael, you did it. You fought the bad guys, you finished the race, you completed the mission. I’ve got it from here. I love you.”
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