“I appreciate the abundance of coffee milk that was sent,” he said after the story of his courageous fight back brought a wonderful, warm response from the Rhode Islanders. Those bundles of cards from across the state were reminders of home. Though he could never fully explain why he wanted to join the Army, it truly worked for him, and he loved every bit of it while he strived to constantly be the best. But fate had other plans, as his loved ones now carry the loving memory of him with them. And among them is Gordan Ryan.

The 30-year-old might be one of the toughest individuals on the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu scene right now, but even he has an emotional breaking point. And that moment came when he got the heartbreaking news about his friend. Michael Verardo, who was serving in Afghanistan, underwent 120 grueling surgeries and relied on a prosthetic leg for a long time after suffering catastrophic injuries from an IED on April 24, 2010. He went through a lot of extensive visual, physical, and occupational therapies. After bravely battling the long-term effects of his war injuries for 15 years, Verardo—a devoted Patriots fan—sadly succumbed to his battle injuries.

However, over the course of his life, he continued to defy the odds and went on to enjoy adaptive athletics, as well as being an active participant in his church and community in North Carolina. And that is exactly the person Ryan is remembering today. Ryan posted a photo of the late Verardo on his Instagram, writing, “Your mission is complete, and you can now rest. Thank you for all you’ve done, MV. Rest easy, hero 🫡🇺🇸.” The post may be brief, but it’s full of the emotion of a friend and the respect of a citizen honoring one of the country’s fallen sons. But it also makes one wonder — How did their friendship first begin? 

There’s no clear record of when Gordon Ryan and Michael Verardo first met, but a Facebook post by The Independence Fund sheds some light. The post was captioned, “Today, 200 veterans and community members enjoyed the unique opportunity to train with American submission wrestler and third-degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Gordon Ryan!”

The BJJ legend was there to lead a training session for veterans and also share his insights on mental health. In the wake of Verardo’s passing, Gordon has expressed his heartfelt thoughts about losing his friend. The friend who, after a lot of therapy, talked to his doctors about what he was capable of doing. As a result, he enrolled at the Community College of Rhode Island, which was the first step towards his hope of having a mechanical engineering degree. The purpose behind this? He wanted to someday design new military equipment or modify existing equipment to make it more user-friendly than some of the equipment he came across.

Even in the face of adversity, he stood tall, and that’s resilience. The same resilience that is not lost on American nationals, as the 48th Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence, took to X and shared the hero Verardo was:

“Karen and I were deeply saddened by the news of the passing of an American hero, retired U.S. Army Sergeant Michael Verardo. Michael served his country bravely in Afghanistan in the 82nd Airborne Division where he sustained devastating wounds in combat that followed him home but he became an example to so many of faith and strength. I met Michael and his amazing wife during his recovery at Walter Reed and at the White House and marveled at their love for each other and their devotion to improving the lives of other wounded warriors across North Carolina and America.”

Even Michael Verardo’s wife has also opened up, sharing her pride in having spent her life with a veteran who fought valiantly until his last breath. Let’s take a closer look at their reflections and the legacy he leaves behind. 

Michael Verardo’s family shares the grief with the world  

The late veteran was truly a family man. He is survived by his wife, Sarah Verardo, and their three beautiful daughters. After being tagged in Gordon Ryan’s post, Sarah opened up about her husband’s passing, writing: “It was the honor of my lifetime to be his wife. His person. My heart is broken. He fought the good fight every single day and gave us everything he had.”

Sarah Conklin is the amazing woman he married in October 2013 at St. Mary’s Church in Newport. She was at the center of his life and his recovery. Per Conklin, she and Verardo were good friends back in high school. But if the words of Verardo are to be believed, then he “had a crush.” And even during a time when he was fading in and out of thought that he might not survive, he looked at the medic and said, “If I go home I’m going to marry that girl.”

Coming back, Sarah didn’t stop there. She also shared her thoughts on Michael’s relationship with their daughters and the love and legacy he left behind. She added: “And I thank him for the best gifts anyone could ever give me—our precious three girls. His legacy. Michael Verardo. Proud paratrooper. Loving dad to our girls. Forever a New England Patriots fan. Dog lover. And my home, my reason, my why, and my drive. Always, always.”

Losing a loved one is never easy, and this is undoubtedly an incredibly difficult time for the Verardo family. Our thoughts are with them, wishing them strength as they navigate life without Michael. We also send our thoughts and prayers to Gordon Ryan, who is rumored to be returning to competition at CJI 2.