President Donald Trump personally called the parents of fallen U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis on February 4, 2026, to inform them that their son will posthumously receive the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military distinction. The emotional phone call, lasting more than two minutes, was made directly from the president to Robert and Linda Ollis, delivering long-awaited recognition for their son’s extraordinary heroism during combat operations in Afghanistan.

Staff Sgt. Ollis, a 24-year-old Staten Island native assigned to the 10th Mountain Division, was killed in 2013 when he deliberately shielded Polish Lt. Karol Cierpika from a suicide bomber during a coalition mission. Despite suffering severe burns, Ollis used his own body to absorb the blast, saving the life of his fellow soldier and preventing further casualties. His selfless act became a symbol of courage, sacrifice, and the enduring bond between U.S. and allied forces.

During the call, President Trump praised Ollis’s bravery in deeply personal terms, telling the family that their son was “looking down on you right now” and emphasizing that the Medal of Honor represents the highest recognition the country can bestow. Mr. Ollis, visibly emotional, thanked the president and said the honor meant everything to their family, adding that Michael would have been immensely proud.

The decision follows more than a decade of sustained advocacy by the Ollis family, fellow service members, veterans’ organizations, and elected officials, including Representative Nicole Malliotakis. Efforts intensified in early 2026 with renewed appeals from New York leaders and public campaigns urging formal recognition of Ollis’s actions after years of bureaucratic delay.

The announcement carries profound significance beyond the award itself. Lt. Cierpika later named his son after Michael Ollis, a lasting testament to the life that was saved and the bond forged in combat. President Trump also invited the family to the White House for the formal Medal of Honor ceremony, a rare and deeply personal presidential gesture that offers long-overdue closure and national acknowledgment for a Gold Star family whose son embodied the highest ideals of military service.