LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB) -- He is celebrated for what happened on the worst day of his life. Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Dakota Meyer spoke to WDRB News about how his life has changed since getting a call from President Obama.
He is just 23 years old, but already the world knows his story. What Sgt. Dakota Meyer doesn't want is to spend the rest of his life reliving the day in Afghanistan where he lost four friends. He'd rather use the spotlight for something more.
The Marine recruiter who came to Dakota Meyer's Greensburg, Kentucky high school told him he'd never cut it in the service. Meyer explains, "He said, 'What are you going to do when you get out of high school?' I said, 'I'm going to go play football somewhere,' and he said, 'Yeah, that's exactly what I'd do too, because there's really no way you could ever be a Marine.'"
Ten minutes later, he went back to that same recruiter and signed the paperwork then and there. He hasn't seen that recruiter since, but you can only imagine what that recruiter is thinking now.
It was a September day in 2009 when Meyer braved enemy fire to rescue his comrades under attack in Afghanistan. Four men died, but he's credited with saving the lives of 36 American and Afghan soldiers.
He says, "Everyone recognizes me in the United States of America for failing the most important people in my life and letting them lose their lives."
It's for that reason he didn't want the Medal of Honor. "You can either fight it, and which I didn't have much of a choice, or you can realize -- stop being selfish and realize it's bigger than me and go out and try to make a difference for other people."
"Trying to make a difference" is the mission guiding him now. He spends most of his days on the road, speaking at events. He'll be this year's Thundernator at Thunder over Louisville, pressing the button that will start the fireworks. He's also writing a book titled "Into the Fire."
"It goes into the battle," Meyer says, "then afterwards coming back and dealing with everything."
Home is Columbia, Kentucky where he lives with his brother. His newfound passion is education and he says he's an advocate for bringing charter schools to Kentucky. But he says he has no future in politics, just "doing the right thing."
"At 21 years old," Meyer says, "I had the worst thing ever happen to me, ya know? Nothing in my life will ever hurt me more than that day will, so now what do I got to worry about for the rest of my life?"
Sgt. Meyer is currently an inactive Marine Reservist but says he would go back to Afghanistan in a heartbeat if he could. You can find much more of our interview, including who is a hero in his eyes, by clicking the links below.
Part one of the Dakota Meyer interview.
Part two of the Dakota Meyer interview.
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