WASHINGTON, D.C. — The day before they will receive the Medal of Honor on behalf of their son, the family of the late Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis met the media on Sunday in the nation’s captial.
“I would like to remember Michael as a wonderful, caring person… a good solider who cared for his squad,” Robert Ollis, Michael’s father, said to the crowd.
A New Dorp resident, Michael Ollis was killed on Aug. 28, 2013, during a Taliban attack on Forward Operating Base Ghazni. During the assault, he placed himself between a suicide bomber and a Polish allied officer, shielding the officer from the full force of the explosion and sacrificing his own life.
In addition to Michael Ollis, recipients of the honor will be the late Master Sergeant Roderick W. Edmonds, who is being represented by his son Christopher Edmonds, and Command Sgt. Maj. Retired Terry P. Richardson. President Donald Trump will deliver the medals at the White House on Monday.
The Advance/SILive.com was present for a poignant roundtable discussion, held before a slate of national media outlets in Washington, D.C. on Sunday. Edmonds and Richardson joined Robert Ollis to discuss the lives and legacies of military heroes who engaged in acts of extreme valor.
“He loved the army, he loved his country,” Robert Ollis said. “I am so proud of him, but I miss him every day.”
During the discussion, he explained how much both the Medal of Honor and a prior recognition from Poland for his son’s sacrifice means to his family.
“We have cloudy days but there is always a ray of sunshine that comes through. That’s Poland for Linda and I,” Robert Ollis said, referring to his wife, Michael’s mother. “Poland made us so strong.”
Robert Ollis acknowledged that although there is a language barrier, their connections in Poland have done an incredible job of making them “feel Polish.”
“We’ve been to Poland five times already,” Robert Ollis said. “We were guests each time.”
The United States, Robert Ollis emphasized, is also a “wonderful country.”
“I thank God for both ends,” he explained. “For the United States, Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth…everybody there that helped out.”
For Robert Ollis, both countries have brought his family and his son’s memory “under the wing.”
During the roundtable, Robert Ollis also thanked Borough President Vito Fossella, former Borough President James Oddo, former Assemblyman Michael Cusick, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and the American Legion and Retired NYS Supreme Court Justice Michael Brennan.
“If you don’t know Staten Island, it’s like a little town of 500,000 people, everybody seems to know Mike, especially now,” Robert Ollis said. “They’re all willing to help, write letters, make petitions.”
In closing remarks Robert Ollis expressed how honored he is to have Michael recognized for his valor.
“I have a wonderful wife of 54 years, I have wonderful children,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for anything more and you gave me this. This is the total icing on the cake. When I lay down, I will be in peace.”
An American hero
Michael Ollis died while serving with Bushmaster Company, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division.
Witnesses have said Michael Ollis’ actions not only saved the life of Polish Army 2nd Lt. Karol Cierpica but also helped preserve the lives of more than 40 military and civilian personnel on the base.
Michael Ollis’ heroism on that August day in 2013 set in motion years of advocacy for this recognition.
In the years since his death, his family, veterans organizations, elected officials and members of the Staten Island community have pushed to have the local hero recognized.
He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Audie Murphy Medallion, Polish Armed Forces Gold Medal as well as the Silver Star, which was upgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross in 2019.
The push to upgrade Ollis’ Distinguished Service Cross to the Medal of Honor has been in the works for years.
In July 2022, Schumer, wrote a letter to Chief of Staff of the Army General Randy A. George, urging the Army to recommend Ollis for the Medal of Honor distinction.
In January 2026, Malliotakis, who represents Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, delivered a letter to Trump expressing her support for posthumously awarding Ollis the honor.
On Feb. 3, 2026, Trump approved the honor, making Michael Ollis only the third Staten Islander to receive the Medal of Honor. He joins the Rev. Lt. Vincent R. Capodanno and World War II soldier Joseph F. Merrell Jr.
Bittersweet news for the family
The Ollis family officially learned the news that Michael was going to receive the Medal of Honor during a personal phone call with President Donald Trump on Feb. 3.
When asked how he felt upon hearing the official approval directly from the president, Robert Ollis said:
“Extremely happy, but also sad. You know what I’m saying? It’s like bittersweet.”
“We were very happy that the president recognized Michael’s sacrifice,” he added.