‘Alive Day’ Warrior and Purple Heart Recipient Sgt. Michael Verardo Laid to Rest at Arlington with Full Honors

On Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, under an overcast sky, family, friends and fellow service members gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to lay to rest U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Verardo, a paratrooper widely regarded as one of the most severely wounded veterans of the post‑9/11 era.

Verardo survived two improvised explosive device (IED) blasts in Afghanistan in April 2010 and endured more than 120 surgeries over 15 years. He was remembered not only for the courage he displayed in combat, but for the determination and compassion he showed afterward as an advocate for other wounded veterans.

Rev. Dr. Terry Moore opened the ceremony with an invocation that carried across the rows of white headstones.

"Today is a sacred day, for we have joined together to honor a true hero — a hero to his country, his family, a husband, a father and a friend,"

he said, adding,

"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down his life for his friends. But most importantly, Michael Verardo was a child of God… His spirit rests in the arms of a loving God."

Soldiers from the U.S. Army Band, the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment and the Caisson Detachment carried Verardo’s flag‑draped casket to Section 57, Grave 2113. A rifle volley split the air before a lone bugler played "Taps." As "My Country, ’Tis of Thee" floated across the cemetery, the folded American flag was presented to his widow, Sarah Verardo, as a symbol of the nation’s gratitude. The service concluded with "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes.

Tributes and Dignitaries

Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth offered one of the ceremony’s most emotional tributes.

"Sergeant Verardo was a soldier, a patriot, and a man who said, 'Send me.' Send me to the Army. Send me to the 82nd. Send me to Afghanistan. Even when wounded, he wanted to return to his men. That was the spirit of Sgt. Verardo — the warrior ethos through and through,"

Hegseth told mourners, praising both Verardo and his family for their resilience.

Lawmakers and military leaders in attendance included Sen. Thom Tillis and Rep. Richard Hudson, along with veterans, service members and family friends. President Donald Trump publicly honored Verardo after his passing in August with a post praising his "extraordinary life and service."

Service, Recovery and Advocacy

Born Feb. 16, 1985, in Providence, Rhode Island, Michael Verardo enlisted in the U.S. Army and deployed to Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division, Bravo Company, 2‑508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. In April 2010, two separate IED attacks in the Arghandab River Valley left him with catastrophic injuries: the loss of his left leg, extensive burns, a traumatic brain injury and severe internal trauma. He flatlined multiple times before recovering and thereafter celebrated his "Alive Day" each April 24.

Verardo spent years receiving care at Walter Reed and Brooke Army Medical Center, undergoing more than 120 surgeries and countless procedures. He married his high school sweetheart, Sarah Conklin, in 2013. Together they raised three daughters — Grace, Mary Scott and Elizabeth — and dedicated themselves to improving care and independence for severely wounded veterans.

Working with The Independence Fund, founded by Marine Corps veteran Steve Danyluk, the Verardos helped distribute over 2,700 all‑terrain Track Chairs to veterans injured in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam, restoring mobility and dignity to wounded troops across generations.

Sgt. Verardo died Aug. 26, 2025, from complications related to his combat injuries. He was 40. Those who knew him say his life was defined not only by surviving devastating wounds but by choosing a mission of advocacy and service that continues through the Independence Fund and the many veterans and families it supports.

His headstone at Arlington will face the Washington Monument — a final positioning that reflects the nation he served. As his widow Sarah Verardo previously said, "Wearing our nation’s uniform was the honor of Michael’s lifetime. Caring for him was the honor of mine."