His sacrifice will live on.
An Army staff sergeant from Staten Island who died saving a fellow soldier’s life in Afghanistan was honored at an emotional ceremony at his old school Wednesday.
War medals earned by Army Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis — who leapt between a suicide bomber and Polish Lt. Karol Cierpica in Ghazni in August 2013 — were donated for a memorial display at The Michael J Petridies School during the heartfelt event.
“Michael was a real hero,” said Cierpica, who flew from Poland with his family to pay respect to Ollis.
“He showed me the definition of service. Michael ran after me, without helmet, without body armor, only with gun and he ran to me because he knew someone needed help,” he said.
“I feel that part of my heart is on Staten Island.”
Cierpica was joined by his son, Michael, who he named after the fallen soldier.
“Naming my son after Michael was my wife’s idea and it made sense to me,” said Cierpica, who was flanked by his wife Basia and elementary-school-aged son Michael.
He also told attendees — including Ollis’ mom Linda and father Bob — that the Staten Island soldier’s memory will continue in his own family.
“Naming my son after Michael was my wife’s idea and it made sense to me,” said Cierpica, who was flanked by his wife Basia and elementary-school-aged son Michael.
During the ceremony, speakers urged the audience to “be like Mike” and students unveiled “a heroes corner” with details about his life — prompting Ollis’ family to tear up.
“It’s an emotional day for us,” Linda Ollis, told The Post.
“Being here brings back so many memories for us from when he was a little boy.”
Ollis’ donated medals include the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest military decoration, campaign medals and the purple heart.
Robert Ollis said his son had a special connection to the school where his medals will now be kept.
“Michael got into mischief but he loved coming to school. He never gave us a hard time coming here. He didn’t love homework but he had good friends and was a good friend to many,” he said.
The New Dorp native was 24 years old when he was killed by a suicide bomber while on his third tour of duty during Operation Enduring Freedom.
He was due to return home just two months later.
Olli’s bravery was memorialized in a book written by Tom Sileo which detailed the devastating day Cierpica was saved.
A Staten Island ferry was also named after him in 2021.
The book revealed Ollis had spent eight months in Ghazni and was about to fly out to Bagram when a truck carrying 3,000 pounds of explosives slammed into the walls of the soldier’s base.
The unprecedented attack from insurgent forces was followed by mortars and machine gun fire.
As smoke filled the air, Taliban fighters advanced and Ollis who, without any protective gear, sprung into action returning fire amid the onslaught.
Much of the area was littered with body parts with the identity of fallen soldiers masked among the chaos.
That’s when Ollis saw the Polish soldier caught in the crossfire.
Suddenly, a Taliban fighter wearing a suicide bomb vest charged toward Cierpica, who had been working as an officer in NATO’s Reconstruction Team.
Within seconds, Ollis jumped between Cierpica and the suicide bomber bearing the brunt of the blast.?
Despite medical assistance, he was pronounced dead, just three weeks before his 25th birthday.