William Kyle Carpenter is one of the truly great examples of humanity. His name will be remembered for a long time and no one can ever question the fact he is a one true American hero.

At 21-year-old, Kyle earned the rank of Lance Corporal in the United States Marines. In 2010, he was sent into war in Afghanistan.

During a firefight, a grenade landed near where Kyle and another soldier were fighting. Without thinking twice, Kyle leapt into action …

It was a split-second decision that spoke volumes over Kyle’s indomitable strength, but would ultimately change his life forever. Kyle jumped on the grenade, using his body as a shield in order to save his friend.

He offered up his life in sacrifice so that his fellow Marine might be spared.

Naturally, he suffered devastating injuries as a result of the ensuing explosion. His body was riddled with shrapnel and the bones in his skull and face were shattered. On top of that, Kyle lost part of his jaw, one of his lungs collapsed, and he was declared P.E.A (patient expired on arrival) when he got back to Camp Bastion.

Technically, Kyle was dead. Somehow, he survived.

Over the next two years, Kyle was forced to undergo forty different surgeries. He was awarded the Purple Heart for his bravery, as well as becoming a recipient of the prestigious Medal of Honor, bestowed upon him by President Barack Obama.

Today, Kyle is retired from military service and is working towards getting a degree from the University of South Carolina.

Watch the video below for more on Kyle’s story: