On April 6, 2007, Navy SEAL Sr. Chief Mike Day was shot 27 times by Al-Qaeda terrorists while searching for a high level Al-Qaeda cell.
Day was the first to enter the room, where he was ambushed by four Al-Qaeda terrorists. Day was shot by the terrorists 27 times and hit with grenade shrapnel before killing all four terrorists. Two SEALs who followed Day into the room were both shot, one fatally. Another SEAL team member was shot in the back of the neck and also died.
“Upon entering that doorway, they all just opened up on me. It felt like somebody was just beating me up with sledgehammers,” Day shared.
In an interview with CBN News, Day explained that his body armor did more than what it was designed to do, because it is limited to taking one round safely. After that one round, “it falls apart to the point where they say that it’s not supposed to stop anymore projectiles.”
Day said that what’s even more miraculous is that the entire gunfight took place inside a 10 foot radius, and any of the 27 rounds should have killed him. Eleven of the shots didn’t find Day’s body armor. He was hit in both legs, both arms, and his abdomen. Day said that “anything but my head, I got shot there.”
“After I’d figured out I was getting shot I said, ‘God, get me home to my girls.’ That was my first prayer to God, real prayer.” And God answered it, Day said.
The Sr. Chief was then able to somehow clear the rest of the house, where he rescued six women and children before walking to the evacuation helicopter.
During his two week stay in the hospital, Day lost 55 pounds and spent the next two years recovering from his injuries. Still dealing with lingering pain today, the retired 21-year Navy SEAL, like many other veterans, has also been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.
In a situation that felt like certain death, Day has speculated about why he didn’t die in that room on that April night. Day said, “I didn’t die, because maybe I wouldn’t have gone to Heaven.”
He was asked, “Why do you think God kept you alive?” Day responded, “To do what I’m doing now,” advocating for and helping other wounded veterans, including those suffering from unseen injuries like him.
Day has been awarded 16 medals, which include the Navy Cross, two Bronze Stars, and a Purple Heart.