a friendsship forged in fire. -- a friendship forged in fire. kyle says about nick, he was my point man. and i loved him like a brother. when the grenade landed, other marines in the compound looked up and saw it happen. kyle tried to stand, he lunged forward toward that grenade and then he disappeared into the blast. keep in mind at the time kyle was just 21 years old. but in that instant, he fulfilled those words of scripture, greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. they found kyle lying face-down directly over the blast area. his helmet was riddled with holes, his gear was melted. part of his kevlar vest was blown away. one of the doctors who treated him later said kyle was literally wounded from the top of his head to his feet. and for a moment kyle was still

conscious. his eyes were open but he couldn't see. kyle remembers everything went white. and yet even then his thoughts were not of himself. one of the marines who were there remembers how kyle kept asking one question and that was whether nick was ok. and then as kyle's strength drained away, he sensed the end was coming. so according to kyle's memories, my last thought was to make peace with god. i asked for his forgiveness, i was trying to make the best and most of my last few seconds here on earth. the medal of honor is presented for gallantry on the battlefield but today we also recognize kyle carpenter for his valor since. and the hard fight for recovery. eventually kyle woke up. after five weeks in a comba.

i want you to consider what kyle has endured just to stand here today. more than 2 1/2 years in the hospital, grueling rehabilitation, brain surgery to remove shrapnel from his head, nearly 40 surgeries to repair a collapsed lung, a fractured finger, a shattered right arm, broken in more than 30 places, multiple skin graphs , he has a new eye, a new jaw, new teeth and one hell of a smile. [laughter] and kyle's the first to give credit elsewhere. his doctors at about a they had da, he says, put me back together well. today's also a reminder that in past wars somebody with injuries as severe as kyle's probably wouldn't have survived. so many of our wounded warriors from today's wars are alive not just because of remarkable advances in technology, but

primarily because of the extraordinary dedication and skill of our military and our v.a. medical professionals. so we need to keep doing everything we can in our four give our wounded warriors and those who treat them the support that they need and i think this is a wonderful opportunity to ask doctors deborah malone and lauren greer and rest of kyle's medical team who are here to please stand. i see their amazing work every time i visit bethesda, every time i visited walter reed. it's pretty rare where you got a job where you just know you're doing god's work every single day. and they do an incredible job. thank you. [applause] thank you for the miracles you

work for our wounded troops and veterans. kyle says he'll wear this medal for all who serve and for those who didn't make it back and for those who struggle still. so today we also honor two members of his team who made the ultimate sacrifice in that deployment. kyle's friends, lance corporal timothy m. jackson of kentucky, and lance corporal dakota r. hughs of greenwood, louisiana. and our thoughts are also with the marine who kyle saved that day, his brother, nick. i had the opportunity to meet nick as well nearly two years after the blast on one of my visits to walter reed. nick also suffered grievous wounds. as a result of traumatic brain injury he couldn't speak for more than a year. he also endured multiple surgeries. today his recovery continues. he lives at home with his family in plymouth, massachusetts, where he is watching this ceremony. so, nick, on behalf of all of

us, i want you to know we honor your sacrifice as well. your perseverance is an inspiration and just as kyle was there for you, our nation will be there for you and your family as you grow stronger in the years ahead. if any of our wounded warriors seek an example, let me amend that. if any american seeks a model of the strength and resilience that define us as a people, 9/11 ng this newest generation, i want you to consider kyle. after everything he's been through, he skis, he snowboards , he's jumped from a plane with a parachute, thankfully. [laughter] he trunled through a six-mile mud run, completed the marine corps marathon, says he wants to do a triathalon. he's a