The invisible scars that Kyle has had to wear for years fighting The War on Terror has weighed heavily on him and his family. This mission was the tipping point that led him down a path of darkness and eventually–healing.
On November 20th, 2015 Kyle responded to an attack at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bamako, Mali. Two Islamic insurgents stormed the hotel with intentions to kill as many westerners as possible. The two insurgents killed 23 people, including one American.
Kyle, who was alone without any capable SOF fighting force, let alone his brothers (1st SFOD-D members) met the insurgents in a stairway that led to a fierce, hours long gun battle. Alone and outnumbered, Kyle held the terrorists at bay until a nearby French SOF assault force was able to assist in eliminating the threats. While the standoff would ultimately end with the death of the two terrorists, it wasn’t over for Kyle, who would carry on for several hours clearing and freeing hostages.
Kyle shares with us his vivid memory of this perilous day.
For his actions, Kyle was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross on June 22, 2018. It is the United States Army's second highest military honor.