Navy SEAL Sr. Chief Mike Day had never been shot before, but that changed dramatically one night in April 2007. He survived, but that night changed his life permanently.
Firefight with al-Qaeda insurgents
On April 6, 2007, Mike Day was caught in a brutal firefight with three al-Qaeda insurgents after he was the first of his team to enter a room in a town near Fallujah, Iraq. The enemy fighters opened fire, hitting Day with 27 separate bullets. His body armor stopped eleven shots, but 16 penetrated his body and left him perilously wounded.
A grenade exploded just 10 feet away, knocking him unconscious. According to Mike Day, when he woke up roughly a minute later, he killed two fighters with his pistol.
“Upon entering that doorway, they all just opened up on me. It felt like somebody was beating me up with sledgehammers,” Day said.
“After I’d figured out I was getting shot, I said, ‘God, get me home to my girls.’ That was my first prayer to God, an honest prayer. When the fighting finally stopped, he miraculously got up and walked to a medical helicopter.
“People hear about my story, and they can’t believe it. I was there, and I can’t believe it,” Day said. “I got shot 27 times – 16 in the body and 11 times in my body armor. ”
“I was shot in both legs, both arms, my left thumb was almost amputated, I was shot in the abdomen and had a colostomy bag for a year, my right scapula was shattered, I was shot twice in the buttocks, once in the scrotum and my body armor was hit multiple times which caused fractured ribs and contusions on my lungs.”
Rehabilitation
The Navy SEAL spent just 16 days in the hospital – during which time he lost just under four stone – before he was discharged and awarded the Purple Heart, the oldest military decoration still given to serving military members in the US. During the following years, he was treated for PTSD by the Carrick Brain Centers in Dallas.
He wrote the book “Perfectly Wounded” which has become a bestseller.
Dear Patriot Brother Mike,
I know what you felt in your heart; and you were able to stay with us for all these years
to let everyone know about the Grace of God. You are with him now and you will finally have your deserved peace and rest. May you have all the Blessings and Grace of God that you
have earned. May God shield your family and give them the Strength you left to them
when you parted. Rest now Navy Brother. God Bless America
We have no words for all the men and women who are serving around the world keeping our country safe. Mike lost his life, and we are all deeply sadden by this huge loss. Our prayers go out to his family and friends. May Mike Day rest in peace. Very Sad !!