HONORING THE FALLEN

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Following 20 years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the challenges and triumphs of a generation of wounded, ill and injured veterans continues. The 2024 National Memorial Day Concert will share the journey of inspiring veteran, entrepreneur and adaptive athlete, Kirstie Ennis.

Kirstie Ennis graduated from high school at 15 and followed in both her parents footsteps, as she joined the U.S. Marine Corps at age 17. Ennis chose to serve in combat as an aerial observer door gunner in a heavy-lift helicopter. Thriving in the job, she was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, received Combat Action Wings with 3 Gold Stars and an Air Valor Medal. During her second deployment on June 23, 2012, her aircraft crashed during combat operations in Afghanistan. Critically injured, she sustained severe damage to her left leg, full facial trauma, a shattered jaw, critical injuries to her spine and both shoulders and a traumatic brain injury. Her leg had to be amputated first below, then later above the knee after a life threatening infection.

In the eleven years since her devastating injury Kirstie Ennis has endured forty-six surgeries and continual physical, speech, and occupational therapies. However, that has not stopped her from becoming a Paralympian snowboarder and a mountain climber who has summited the highest peaks on six of seven continents, each climb used to fundraise for nonprofit organizations. Her Kirstie Ennis Foundation was created to provide education, opportunity, and healing in the outdoors through recreational therapy clinics and expeditions. Ennis has completed three Master’s degrees (Human Behavior, Business Administration and Public Administration) and is currently working to complete her doctorate in Education.

For her service to her country, Sergeant Ennis has earned the NATO Medal, Combat Action Wings with three gold stars, National Defense Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Air Medal, Good Conduct Medal and Afghanistan National Campaign Medal and a Purple Heart along with many other civilian honors.

Today, Ennis lives with a profound sense of duty, a commitment to inspire others facing extreme physical and mental challenges and a desire to honor the sacrifices of her fellow service members.

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