Heroic soldier killed while saving a comrade’s life in Afghanistan, honored at the New York school he attended

His sacrifice will live on.

A Staten Island Army staff sergeant who died while saving a fellow soldier’s life in Afghanistan was honored Wednesday during an emotional ceremony at his old school.

War medals earned by Army Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis – who jumped between a suicide bomber and Polish lieutenant Karol Cierpica in Ghazni in August 2013 – was donated for a memorial exhibition at the Michael J Petridies School during the heartfelt event.

“Michael was a real hero,” said Cierpica, who flew from Poland with his family to pay respects to Ollis.

“He showed me the definition of service. “Michael ran after me, with no helmet, no body armor, just a gun, and he ran toward me because he knew someone needed help,” he said.

“I feel like part of my heart is in Staten Island.”

Cierpica was accompanied by his son Michael, whom he named after the fallen soldier.

“Naming my son after Michael was my wife’s idea and it made sense to me,” said Cierpica, who was flanked by his wife Basia and elementary school son Michael.

He also told those in attendance – including Ollis’ mother Linda and father Bob – that the Staten Island soldier’s memory will live on in his own family.

“Naming my son after Michael was my wife’s idea and it made sense to me,” said Cierpica, who was flanked by his wife Basia and elementary school son Michael.

During the ceremony, speakers urged the audience to “be like Mike” and students unveiled a “hero corner” with details about his life – prompting Ollis’ family to burst into tears.

“It’s an emotional day for us,” Linda Ollis told The Post.

“Being here brings back so many memories of when he was a little boy.”

Ollis’s donated medals include the Distinguished Service Cross, the second-highest military decoration, campaign medals and the Purple Heart.

Robert Ollis said his son had a special bond with the school where his medals are now kept.

“Michael made mischief, but he loved going to school. He never made it difficult for us to get here. He didn’t like homework, but he had good friends and was a good friend to many,” he said.

The New Dorp resident was 24 years old when he was killed by a suicide bomber during his third tour of duty during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Just two months later he would return home.

Olli’s courage was remembered in a book written by Tom Sileo which described the devastating day Cierpica was rescued.

A Staten Island ferry was also named after him in 2021.

The book revealed that Ollis had spent eight months in Ghazni and was about to fly to Bagram when a truck carrying 3,000 pounds of explosives crashed into the walls of the soldiers’ base.

The unprecedented attack by insurgent forces was followed by mortars and machine gun fire.

As smoke filled the air, Taliban fighters advanced and Ollis, who acted without any protective equipment, returned fire amid the attack.

Much of the area was littered with body parts with the identities of fallen soldiers masked among the chaos.

That’s when Ollis saw the Polish soldier caught in the crossfire.

Suddenly, a Taliban fighter wearing a suicide bomb vest rushed towards Cierpica, who had been working as an officer with NATO’s reconstruction team.

Within seconds, Ollis jumped between Cierpica and the suicide bomber who bore the brunt of the blast.

Despite medical attention, he was pronounced dead just three weeks before his 25th birthday.