NEWBURGH – Kyle Carpenter is the youngest service member to receive the Medal of Honor. He was presented the highest military honor at the age of 24 by former President Obama in June of 2014 for saving the life of a fellow marine by shielding him from a hand grenade while serving in Afghanistan in November 2010.
The medically retired lance corporal is now a motivational speaker and brought his message to Newburgh Wednesday night for a fundraiser for the Rumshock Veterans Foundation.
“I realized that struggle is struggle. It doesn’t matter if you got hit with a hand grenade, if you had an accident at work, or lost a loved one. Pain is pain and hurt is hurt, so as I continue my journey, I try to be as diverse as possible in how I speak and represent myself because I don’t just want to be a veteran, I don’t just want to be a Medal of Honor recipient; I want to be someone who connects with, and tries to help everyone,” he said.
Carpenter, who was severely wounded and spent three years in Walter Reed Hospital, later earned a college degree and spent two years writing a book – You are Worth It: Building a Life Worth Fighting For.
