Latest news with #LoneSurvivor
New York Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Old Westbury College now has women's flag football team
Flag football has touched down at Old Westbury College. The Nassau County school is gearing up for its inaugural season of the women's sport, which first will be played at the club level in 2026 before transitioning to varsity the following year, starting with a grassroots campaign to recruit its first team. Advertisement 'Right now, we're relying on any accepted students who are attending Old Westbury who may have played in the past to be part of our team,' director of athletics Lenore Walsh told The Post. Walsh added that the Panthers' new team, which was announced in April and will compete in the Skyline Conference, is already gaining significant traction on campus. 'There were a lot of people who were hearing it for the first time in our accepted students' day, and they were really excited,' she said of the program that is still to name a head coach. Advertisement Nevertheless, when they fill that void, there will be numerous recruiting trips, as the game has boomed in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. 'It seems to be very popular here on Long Island amongst the high schools and middle schools,' Walsh said — adding that programs such as Lindenhurst, Plainview-Old Bethpage, and Port Washington are on the watch list. 3 Old Westbury College is now going to have a women's flag football team. Old Westbury College Athletics The team's first tryouts will take place in the fall, with another wave scheduled to begin in the spring semester as well. Advertisement Walsh stressed that the beauty of playing locally is walk-on opportunities also will be abundant. 'You don't necessarily need to be a recruited student-athlete … and sometimes, you never know, you can get a diamond-in-the-rough player,' Walsh said. 3 Plainview-Old Bethpage players run a drill during practice this past April. Heather Khalifa for New York Post Advertisement Draft this into your calendar. The Islanders will host a draft party at UBS Arena on Friday night, as the Nassau hockey team will be on the clock for the first pick. New general manager Mathieu Darche will speak to fans at 5:30 p.m. as several Isles, including Ryan Pulock and Casey Cizikas, will be perusing the concourse — along with team alums such as John Tonelli, Butch Goring, Steve Webb, Shawn Bates and Benoit Hogue. On-air host Shannon Hogan and actor Kevin Connolly, director of the Islanders documentary 'Big Shot,' also will be in attendance at the party — which will have a Ferris wheel, human jousting and a giant slide. 3 Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche NHLI via Getty Images Season ticket holders pay nothing, and general admission is $5, with proceeds benefiting the Islanders Children's Foundation. Long Island's annual 'Run Around the Lake,' in honor of slain Navy SEAL Michael Murphy, is a go for Saturday morning. The event, held at Lake Ronkonkoma where the 'Lone Survivor' hero was a lifeguard before enlisting, begins with a 7 a.m. half-marathon, followed by an 8:30 a.m. fun run and a 9 a.m. 4-mile event. Advertisement Registration fees vary. Parking can be found at Easton Street & Railroad Avenue in Ronkonkoma.
New York Post
6 days ago
- General
- New York Post
‘Lone Survivor' mission turns 20 as slain Long Island Navy SEAL Michael Murphy still changes lives
Dan Murphy's life changed forever 20 years ago. His son — 29-year-old Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy — made the ultimate sacrifice on a compromised mission in Afghanistan in hopes of giving his four-man team a chance to survive against what the military branch said was 'a much larger enemy force of more than 50 anti-coalition militia.' 'The biggest takeaway is that even 20 years since his death, people still remember him and know who he is,' said Dan Murphy, who lives in Wading River so he can visit his son's grave at Calverton National Cemetery twice a week. Advertisement 3 The life of Dan Murphy changed forever when his son, Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy, made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan. LP Media The Patchogue-raised military hero's story and final mission alongside fellow SEALs Marcus Luttrell, Matthew Axelso, and Danny Dietz, was immortalized in the 2013 film 'Lone Survivor.' Director Peter Berg detailed the harrowing escape Luttrell made as his comrades — including 16 SEAL and Army Nightstalker rescuers — were gruesomely killed by the Taliban during the ill-fated 'Operation Red Wings' of June 28, 2005. Advertisement The initial job of scouting the known terrorist Ahmad Shah in the Hindu Kush quickly went to pieces after the four were spotted in mountainous terrain. Heavily outnumbered and suffering communications problems, Murphy deliberately ran into enemy fire to call for reinforcements. 'He had the mindset of always looking out for everyone else before himself,' Luttrell told The Post, recalling Michael's known reputation as 'The Protector.' Advertisement 'Marcus told me, 'Mr. Murphy, I want you to know that Michael stepped out into, the only still way I can describe it, is an avalanche of bullets to make that phone call,' Dan Murphy recalled, adding that the two close friends were 'insomniacs' known to stay up the night before missions together. Back on Long Island, SEALs were stationed with Dan Murphy and his then-wife, Maureen, to give the family real-time updates in the days that followed. They had been told that one soldier's transmitter had pinged, but it wasn't immediately clear whose. 'I remember turning to Maureen at that point, saying, 'you know, this isn't going to turn out well,' said the elder Murphy, a Vietnam Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient. Advertisement 'I said, 'If there's one survivor, you know it's not going to be Michael. He would make it a point to ensure his men would survive before he would,' the proud dad added of his son, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! Never forgotten Now, two decades later, Dan Murphy looks to the lasting impact made by his son that keeps his spirit immortal. The Navy commissioned a destroyer in his name, and there is an annual June 28 run around Lake Ronkonkoma — where the younger Murphy was a lifeguard and lived up to his nickname 'The Protector.' As fate would have it, one of the first boats to rescue passengers from the 'Miracle on the Hudson' was owned by a family friend and named in honor of the younger Murphy as well. 3 His story, along with that of fellow SEALs Marcus Luttrell, Matthew Axelson, and Danny Dietz, was immortalized in the 2013 film 'Lone Survivor.' U.S. Navy 'His whole persona was to help people…you can't get a better legacy than that,' Dan Murphy added of his son, who eyed a future with the FBI after service. 'I rue the fact that the world lost this man who would have done so much for so many people had he survived.' Advertisement Closer to home, the grieving military dad played an integral part in establishing the LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in Sayville, where he visits almost every day to educate visitors about the sacrifices of Michael and others throughout the elite fighting force's history since World War II. 'We still hurt for the Murphy family and thank them for their work in keeping Michael's memory alive,' said Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine. However, perhaps the most widespread recognition of Lt. Murphy's true grit is the viral workout challenge he invented while during basic underwater SEAL demolition (BUD/S) training class 236. Advertisement 'The Murph,' as it's called, is a one-mile run followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 air squats, then another one-mile run in a 20-pound weighted vest. Michael Murphy designed it with fellow SEAL Kaj Larsen, who was one class behind him during training in Southern California. 'He wasn't a braggadocious Navy SEAL. He didn't wear his trident on his chest. He was quiet. He was unassuming,' Larsen told The Post about his friend. Larsen also remembers the kind side of Lt. Murphy that those close to him were well aware of. He'll never forget the younger Murphy sneaking around the corner of their dorms during the nadir of 'hell week' to pass a Snickers bar to the fatigued trainee. 3 From right, Chris Wyllie, museum executive director and Dan Murphy, father of Seal Lt. Michael Murphy who was killed in action in Afghanistan pictured in the Navy Seal Museum with Lt. Murphy's namesake in West Sayville, NY. LP Media Advertisement 'He went by example. He was an incredibly strong leader who didn't have to tell you that he was in charge,' added Larsen, who was close to almost all who perished in the 2005 mission. The devastation of the Red Wings was, in part, a reason why he re-enlisted as a reserve in 2007. 'I would hope that the public would know that all of those successes, like killing Bin Laden, are made possible by the sweat, tears, and ultimately blood of our brothers who are not there with us.' 'Lone Survivor' Advertisement Luttrell's dramatic escape from the Taliban was aided by a local villager, Mohammed Gulab, who shielded the heavily wounded warrior despite fatal threats from the militants out of an ancient honor code called Pashtunwali. Since the rescue, Luttrell and Gulab, who moved to America about a decade later, have stayed in touch. Luttrell, of Texas, whose twin brother Morgan was Larsen's swim buddy, said he and Gulab last saw each other a few weeks ago. Now, as the anniversary approaches, the former SEAL has opened up about what the past two decades have been like as the lone survivor of Red Wings. 'I went through a pretty dark time for several years. Imagine living your worst day every day because people want to talk about it, they want to pick it apart,' he said. 'Between my family and faith, I've been able to turn that pain into purpose, and I shut out anything that isn't going to make me and everyone around me a better person. There's no reason to relish in the darkness when we can live in a world of light and help others live in that light, too. I have no interest in negativity.' Instead, like Dan Murphy, he looks to celebrate the legacy of those lost through new missions, such as the museum and other public honors given to the fallen fighters of Red Wings. 'The mission is accomplished,' Luttrell added. 'NEVER FORGET 6.28.05.'
New York Post
15-06-2025
- New York Post
Long Island teen inspired by local slain Navy SEAL hero overcomes paralysis
A paralyzed teenage Long Island wrestler says he took inspiration from a local fallen Navy SEAL to recover — and now hopes to follow in his hero's footsteps and join the elite unit. Finn Schiavone, 16, of Bay Shore suffered a traumatic brain injury in the eighth grade after accidentally being tossed off a wrestling mat and into a heating pipe, leading to the nightmare that no kid or parent would ever want to face. 'I wasn't able to walk, I could barely talk, I lost lots of my vision. …I wasn't able to do school and was focusing on basic life skills like counting to 10,' Finn recently told The Post. 8 Finn Schiavone, who was wheelchair bound last year due to a wrestling injury, competed in the 2025 Murph Challenge at The LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in West Sayville, NY. Dennis A. Clark 8 'I wasn't able to walk, I could barely talk, I lost lots of my vision. …I wasn't able to do school and was focusing on basic life skills like counting to 10,' Finn recently told The Post. Dennis A. Clark The teen had to be homeschooled while confined to a wheelchair as he relearned the basic functions of his body and elementary rhetoric, such as being able to pronounce the word 'firefighter.' Sensing the despair he faced, the teen's teacher brought him to the Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in Sayville after his 2022 accident. 'She thought it would inspire me because she knew how much I loved the Navy SEALs,' Finn said. After two years of grueling recovery — inspired by Murphy, a slain Navy warrior from Patchogue — Finn finally took his first steps with a cane last year and now aims to become a SEAL himself. 8 Finn Schiavone, while in a wheelchair, was pushed by former Navy SEAL Chris Wylie during a memorial run for Long Island's Michael Murphy, a fellow Navy SEAL killed in action. Courtesy of Finn Schiavone 'I knew if he was able to go through the hell that he went through, that I could go through my situation,' Finn said of the 29-year-old war hero, who died saving comrades in Afghanistan in 2005. 'It's your 'why' factor, really,' the teen said of his motivation. 'You just have to find your reasoning, your purpose for what you do. Once you find that, then the 'how' of actually achieving the goals doesn't become an excuse anymore.' Never out of the fight Finn said he was deeply moved by the museum, where he met Daniel Murphy, Michael's dad. Michael, whose sacrificial heroics were retold in the 2013 film 'Lone Survivor,' was part of a four-man team surrounded by more than 50 members of the Taliban in the Afghanistan mission. He, two teammates and 17 other military reinforcements were killed in the deadly showdown 20 years ago, with Daniel fatally exposing himself to enemy fire to call for help. 'Never quit — that was part of Michael's persona,' his father told The Post. 'Finn didn't have very good control over his motor skills, but even then, it was amazing how he took to Michael's story.' Finn said those two words — 'Never quit' — resonated with him like nothing else could. 8 'Finn didn't have very good control over his motor skills, but even then, it was amazing how he took to Michael's story,' Michael's dad said. Dennis A. Clark 'They were in the most impossible situation — yet they never quit, especially when it looked very grim for them,' the teen said of Michael and his comrades. 'They stuck it into the end and even to the point where Michael sacrificed himself for his teammates.' Finn said that day, he vowed to walk again — no matter what it took. Hell weeks The teen ended up bravely facing 10 hours of brutal physical therapy a day, where the act of standing up for 3 minutes would cause him to pass out over and over again. 'I would do that non-stop for six hours,' he said. 'I would just keep hammering that out, doing that six days a week.' Finn also endured stim therapy to his legs, 'which is when you're basically electrocuting your legs to hopefully get the nerves to connect again,' he said. 8 The challenge consists of a 1 mile run then 100 pull-ups, 200 pushups, 300 squats and another mile run, the LT Michael P. Murphy's daily workout. Dennis A. Clark 'Since I had complete paralysis, we had to crank the machine all the way up to the max,' the teen explained, saying that after he started to regain feeling, it became excruciatingly painful. While all of this was going on, Murphy and the museum's executive director, Chris Wyllie, a former SEAL, were right in his corner to carry him through the dark times. 'I would always make sure to come back at least once a month, just because they were probably one of my biggest cheerleaders,' Finn said. 8 Over 300 people participated, one from as far away as Italy, in the 2025 Murph Challenge at The LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum. Dennis A. Clark 'They were always there to help me out and support me. We always made an effort to stop by whenever I made a milestone. This is the first place I would visit.' Last year, Wyllie pushed Schiavone's wheelchair during a charity race named for Michael Murphy at Lake Ronkonkoma, where the hero had been a lifeguard. 'He isn't inspirational, he's Finn-spirational, and I've been saying that for years,' Wyllie said. 8 'He isn't inspirational, he's Finn-spirational, and I've been saying that for years,' Wyllie said. Courtesy of Finn Schiavone The teen shocked everybody when he rose from the wheelchair and walked the final steps with the help of loved ones. 'Just having everyone on my back, holding me up, I definitely realized I would walk on my own again,' Finn said. He started moving with a cane in September, and by March, he had regained almost complete control of his body, to the point that he would 'hit the gym four times a week.' 8 'This was the pinnacle for me of being fully recovered. I just wanted to give it all I had,' Schiavone said. Dennis A. Clark The soon-to-be Bay Shore High School junior said he didn't push himself only for the sake of wellness but also to honor Michael Murphy's name. 'I just think it's just another sense of where Michael continues his legacy of service to our American citizens,' Daniel Murphy said. So you wanna be a frogman? This past Memorial Day Weekend at the museum, Finn took on what was once unthinkable for him: the grueling 'Murph Challenge' — a 1-mile run followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats and then another mile dash, all in a 20-pound weighted vest. Murphy invented the regiment during notorious basic underwater demolition SEAL (BUD/s) training. Greeted by the roar of the military community and fitness enthusiasts taking on the gargantuan task, the teen, who was given a perseverance award at the 2024 event, finished the workout with flying colors. 'This was the pinnacle for me of being fully recovered. I just wanted to give it all I had,' he said. The teen said that after he finishes high school, he hopes to go to the US Naval Academy. He then aims to one day qualify for SEAL training and wear the hallowed trident of the frogmen. Wyllie said he is '1,000, not 100%' confident that Schiavone has what it takes. 'I would be the first person to put money down that Finn would make it,' the former SEAL said. The teen likes his own chances, too. 'After what I've gone through, BUD/s seems pretty light,' he quipped.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Memorial Day event recreates ‘Lone Survivor' hero's grueling Navy SEAL workout: ‘Very moving'
They're a force to be reckoned with. Hundreds of military members and Long Islanders took part in a grueling, emotional event Saturday to commemorate the extraordinary grit of Navy Lt. Michael Murphy, a slain SEAL from Patchogue whose heroics were worthy of Hollywood. Participants of the annual Suffolk County gathering took on the punishing workout routine of the 29-year-old Navy SEAL, who was killed in action in 2005, deliberately sacrificing himself to Taliban gunfire to call in reinforcements during a famous mission portrayed in the Peter Berg film 'Lone Survivor.' 'It's a 1-mile run followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, capped off with another 1-mile run,' said former SEAL Kaj Larsen, who was Murphy's roommate during Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL training, or BUD/S, to The Post. 'To do it at the full expression of the Murph, you do it wearing a 20-pound bulletproof vest,' Larsen said. Larsen and Murphy, who Taylor Kitsch portrays as a main character in the 2013 flick, first concocted the daunting exercise on their base in Coronado, Calif. Larsen, now 47, re-enacted it Saturday along with nearly 350 other people at the LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in Sayville, running his first mile with an American flag in hand in honor of his dear friend. 'I know if Mike were down here, we'd be right next to each other, pushing ourselves, seeing who could win,' said Larsen, who knew many of the other 18 service members who perished along with Murphy during 'Operation Red Wings' in Afghanistan in late June 2005. Since the museum opened in 2022, the annual Memorial Day Weekend event has exponentially increased in local popularity, according to Executive Director and former SEAL Chris Wyllie. He noted that one woman flew in from Italy just to do 'The Murph' challenge. 'My big focus is making this an emotional experience that's so positive and fun that people want to come back and want the news to spread,' Wyllie said. For Murphy's brother, John Murphy, a 37-year-old SUNY police officer stationed in Stony Brook, it represents a bigger picture. 'It's very moving and very nice to see that people appreciate and have not lost sight of the meaning behind this weekend,' he said. The beginnings of the event date back to 2007, when Air Force Capt. Joshua Appel — the man who recovered Murphy's body from the horrific firefight — first tried it in a Tucson, Ariz., gym to venerate the sacrifice of the SEALs and the Army Night Stalkers, the nickname for an elite military air group, that day. 'The Murph' went on become a Memorial Day Weekend tradition done by athletes around the globe. 'Michael could do it in about 32 minutes, but once in Iraq, he was able to in 28,' said his father, Daniel Murphy, a Vietnam veteran heavily involved in the museum. A few years ago, the dad moved to Wading River, LI, to be closer to Calverton National Cemetery to visit Michael's grave about twice a week. During visits there, he talks to his son, updating him on what's happening in the museum and lets him know who stopped in. 'I'm going to tell him how competitive it was this year,' Daniel Murphy said. 'We've had two people who did it in 33 minutes and 34 minutes. I'll explain to him that, and how many people came through this time.' Muprhy's mother, Maureen Murphy, who regularly gives tours at the museum, appreciates that the event helps more people 'get to know' her son. 'He had a big heart, and honestly, he could have his leg or his arm torn off and not cry,' she said of her son, who was a lifeguard and Penn State graduate before becoming a SEAL. 'But if his friends were having a hard time, he'd cry with them,' she said. Larsen remembers how Murphy's call to duty was only rivaled by his caring for his buddies, even in just the littlest ways, such as when Larsen had to go through SEAL hell week after he did. 'I was like, cold, almost hypothermic, on just the hardest, hardest night,' Larsen recalled. 'Out of nowhere, I see this figure in camouflage sneak around the corner of the barracks with a Snickers bar — and it was Murph. He took care of his brothers,' he added of the beloved man widely nicknamed 'the protector.' Nearly two decades since his death, Murphy — who posthumously awarded the medal of honor — is still changing lives, including 16-year-old Finn Schiavone of Bay Shore, who was paralyzed in middle school from a wrestling accident. The wheelchair-bound teen met Dan Murphy at the museum and credits the family for helping him find the strength to recover fully through rigorous physical therapy. 'I don't even know how to explain it. They instilled a sense of drive into me,' said the high-schooler, who marvelously completed the challenge this year. 'I want to apply to the Naval Academy and hopefully become a SEAL,' said Schiavone, who wore a weighted vest signed by Robert O'Neill, the SEAL who killed Osama Bin Laden.
New York Post
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Memorial Day event recreates ‘Lone Survivor' hero's grueling Navy SEAL workout: ‘Very moving'
They're a force to be reckoned with. Hundreds of military members and Long Islanders took part in a grueling, emotional event Saturday to commemorate the extraordinary grit of Navy Lt. Michael Murphy, a slain SEAL from Patchogue whose heroics were worthy of Hollywood. Participants of the annual Suffolk County gathering took on the punishing workout routine of the 29-year-old Navy SEAL, who was killed in action in 2005, deliberately sacrificing himself to Taliban gunfire to call in reinforcements during a famous mission portrayed in the Peter Berg film 'Lone Survivor.' 4 Lt. Commander Kai Larsen, LT Michael P. Murphy's roommate in Seal Training, leads off over 300 participants, one from as far away as Italy, in the 2025 Murph Challenge at The LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in West Sayville, NY. Dennis A. Clark 'It's a 1-mile run followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, capped off with another 1-mile run,' said former SEAL Kaj Larsen, who was Murphy's roommate during Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL training, or BUD/S, to The Post. 'To do it at the full expression of the Murph, you do it wearing a 20-pound bulletproof vest,' Larsen said. Larsen and Murphy, who Taylor Kitsch portrays as a main character in the 2013 flick, first concocted the daunting exercise on their base in Coronado, Calif. Larsen, now 47, re-enacted it Saturday along with nearly 350 other people at the LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in Sayville, running his first mile with an American flag in hand in honor of his dear friend. 'I know if Mike were down here, we'd be right next to each other, pushing ourselves, seeing who could win,' said Larsen, who knew many of the other 18 service members who perished along with Murphy during 'Operation Red Wings' in Afghanistan in late June 2005. 4 Navy Lt. Michael Murphy was killed in action by the Taliban in 2005. LP Media Since the museum opened in 2022, the annual Memorial Day Weekend event has exponentially increased in local popularity, according to Executive Director and former SEAL Chris Wyllie. He noted that one woman flew in from Italy just to do 'The Murph' challenge. 'My big focus is making this an emotional experience that's so positive and fun that people want to come back and want the news to spread,' Wyllie said. For Murphy's brother, John Murphy, a 37-year-old SUNY police officer stationed in Stony Brook, it represents a bigger picture. 'It's very moving and very nice to see that people appreciate and have not lost sight of the meaning behind this weekend,' he said. A hero's memory The beginnings of the event date back to 2007, when Air Force Capt. Joshua Appel — the man who recovered Murphy's body from the horrific firefight — first tried it in a Tucson, Ariz., gym to venerate the sacrifice of the SEALs and the Army Night Stalkers, the nickname for an elite military air group, that day. 'The Murph' went on become a Memorial Day Weekend tradition done by athletes around the globe. 'Michael could do it in about 32 minutes, but once in Iraq, he was able to in 28,' said his father, Daniel Murphy, a Vietnam veteran heavily involved in the museum. A few years ago, the dad moved to Wading River, LI, to be closer to Calverton National Cemetery to visit Michael's grave about twice a week. During visits there, he talks to his son, updating him on what's happening in the museum and lets him know who stopped in. 'I'm going to tell him how competitive it was this year,' Daniel Murphy said. 'We've had two people who did it in 33 minutes and 34 minutes. I'll explain to him that, and how many people came through this time.' 4 Over 300 people participated, one from as far away as Italy, in the 2025 Murph Challenge at The LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in West Sayville, NY. Dennis A. Clark Muprhy's mother, Maureen Murphy, who regularly gives tours at the museum, appreciates that the event helps more people 'get to know' her son. 'He had a big heart, and honestly, he could have his leg or his arm torn off and not cry,' she said of her son, who was a lifeguard and Penn State graduate before becoming a SEAL. 'But if his friends were having a hard time, he'd cry with them,' she said. Larsen remembers how Murphy's call to duty was only rivaled by his caring for his buddies, even in just the littlest ways, such as when Larsen had to go through SEAL hell week after he did. 'I was like, cold, almost hypothermic, on just the hardest, hardest night,' Larsen recalled. 4 Sixteen-year0old Finn Schiavone, who was wheelchair bound last year due to a wrestling injury, competed today in the 2025 Murph Challenge at The LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in West Sayville, NY. Dennis A. Clark 'Out of nowhere, I see this figure in camouflage sneak around the corner of the barracks with a Snickers bar — and it was Murph. He took care of his brothers,' he added of the beloved man widely nicknamed 'the protector.' Nearly two decades since his death, Murphy — who posthumously awarded the medal of honor — is still changing lives, including 16-year-old Finn Schiavone of Bay Shore, who was paralyzed in middle school from a wrestling accident. The wheelchair-bound teen met Dan Murphy at the museum and credits the family for helping him find the strength to recover fully through rigorous physical therapy. 'I don't even know how to explain it. They instilled a sense of drive into me,' said the high-schooler, who marvelously completed the challenge this year. 'I want to apply to the Naval Academy and hopefully become a SEAL,' said Schiavone, who wore a weighted vest signed by Robert O'Neill, the SEAL who killed Osama Bin Laden.
