By Austin Elliot
The Informer
Laingsburg HS
1st Place
Division 4, News Writing
Personality Profile
Back in 2004, Andrew Mahoney was a student at Laingsburg High School. Just like any other student, he played soccer, liked to have fun, and didn’t really like sitting through school every day. Today, Mahoney is a war hero and a recipient of one of the highest honors that a member of the armed forces can receive: the Silver Star Medal.
“School wasn’t necessarily his favorite thing in the world,” teacher Kris Moberg said. “It makes me so happy to see that he has found his environment and became very successful.”
Mahoney’s award came with risking his life. Back in 2012, on their way to the provincial governor’s compound in Afghanistan, Mahoney and the rest of the American patrol were approached by a man with a square bulge sticking out of his chest.
“It all happened so fast that there wasn’t really time to process a thought,’’ Mahoney said. ‘‘It came down to a gut instinct and training taking over.’’
Mahoney, along with his captain, tackled the man to the ground as he detonated his suicide vest. Mahoney suffered slight head trauma, but he did not lose consciousness.
‘‘Captain Groberg and I both knew we had to do something to eliminate the threat,’’ Mahoney said. ‘‘With the proximity, rushing the man was the only option.’’
It was later that Mahoney found out that there had been two bombers that day. The second one detonated almost simultaneously with the first, which caused the majority of the damage.
One man was killed in the attack, and others were injured. Had it not been for Mahoney’s actions, however, the incident would have been a lot more devastating.
‘‘It was a little more deliberate after that,’’ Mahoney said. ‘‘So even though I was pretty banged up, my first thought was, ‘Where’s the boss, and how do I get him to safety?’’’
For his courageous acts, Mahoney was awarded the Silver Star award in 2013. The Silver Star Medal is the third-highest military decoration for valor awarded to armed forces members. Mahoney was also named Soldier of the Year in 2014 by The United Services Organization, and was he met with gratification and a firm handshake from president Barack Obama.
‘‘I cannot put in words how proud I am of him,’’ Lori Mahoney, Andrew’s mother, said.
Though Andrew is very successful in what he does today, he wasn’t necessarily a great student in high school.
‘‘Basically, I didn’t have the interest in school that I should have,’’ Andrew said. ‘‘I just did what I needed to get by. If I were to go back in time and tell myself that I had done the things that I have done, I’d think I was crazy.”
Andrew said he does not encourage slacking in school; he simply stresses the importance of being passionate about what you do every day.
‘‘Don’t get me wrong: good grades are important,’’ Andrew said. ‘‘But it is more important to find something that you are passionate about and enjoy doing every day. For me, that is getting up at 4:30 and soldiering. I get a feeling of pride with putting on that uniform and doing something that very few people have or will. Basically, just find what you enjoy doing and try to be the best at it.”
Mahoney is currently stationed in Germany, where he will continue doing what he loves: getting up before the sun every day and serving his country.