By: Sharon Aron Baron
Navy Petty Officer Second Class Michael J. Brodsky from Tamarac died Saturday of injuries suffered on July 7 from an improvised explosive device, the Defense Department reports.
Brodsky, 33, who was also a K9 dog handler, was part of Operation Enduring Freedom in Kandahar.
“Late Saturday night (July 7) in an undisclosed area of Afghanistan, Mike was on patrol. His unit started taking fire. He took his dog Jackson and put him back in the truck as he was trained to do, and then returned to the fight. It was then that he stepped on a pressure plate.” – Aonghas Crowe, Uncle to Brodsky’s wife.
In critical condition and unresponsive, Mike was flown to Germany, where doctors tried to save him. On the morning of July 17, he was awarded the Purple Heart.
“He was in incredibly bad condition. The doctors, corpsmen, friends, and family did everything possible. Mikey had a living will, which clearly stated he did not want to be assisted to continue in the condition he was currently in and the condition that awaited him in the future,” said his father, Steve Brodsky, on Facebook.
To read more about Michael Brodsky, please see his memorial page on Facebook.