By Joe Udo
NEW YORK (CONVERSEER) – In 2007, U.S. Navy SEAL Mike Day was shot 27 times by al-Qaeda militants in his legs, arms, abdomen, buttocks, and scrotum, and was then knocked unconscious by a grenade.
He not only survived, but after regaining consciousness he managed to kill all four militants and walk away unaided.
It is one of those stories that sounds like it was ripped straight out of a Hollywood script, but the reality of Senior Chief Mike Day’s survival is even more staggering when you look at the details.
The incident occurred in April 2007 during a raid in Anbar Province, Iraq. Mike Day was the first one through the door, and he was met with a hail of gunfire from four insurgents.
The Survival Breakdown
To put his resilience into perspective, here is what he actually endured in those few minutes:
He was hit 16 times in his body and 11 times in his body armor. Even though the armor caught 11 rounds, the kinetic energy from that many hits is equivalent to being struck by a sledgehammer repeatedly.
A grenade detonated just feet away from him, knocking him unconscious and peppering him with shrapnel.
Upon waking up, he used his pistol to eliminate the remaining threats in the room, cleared the rest of the house, and walked himself to the medical evacuation helicopter.
After the Battle
While the physical feat is legendary, his life after the Navy was arguably just as impactful. He suffered from severe PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), but he became a vocal advocate for veterans’ mental health. He even competed in a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride, and 13.1-mile run (a Half Ironman) to raise money for other wounded warriors.
“People hear the story and they say, ‘He’s a hero.’ I’m not a hero. I’m just a guy who did his job,” Mike Day said.
Sadly, Mike Day passed away in March 2023. His story remains a testament to the “indomitable spirit” often discussed in special operations circles the idea that the mind can force the body to keep going long after it should have quit.
