U.S. Navy EOD Tech Senior Chief Petty Officer (Retired) Kenton Stacy grew up in Greenville, Ohio, graduating from Greenville High School in 2002. Growing up, he enjoyed BMX biking and competed throughout high school. He also had a passion for construction and worked with Habitat for Humanity, building homes for families in need. Kenton joined the U.S. Navy intending to serve four years before attending college. He soon developed a love for the military community and for his work as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician, and chose to make the Navy his career.
On November 19, 2017, Kenton was serving with a Special Forces unit clearing areas formerly held by ISIS near Raqqa, Syria. While inside a hospital containing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), one detonated just feet from him. As a result, Kenton became a quadriplegic, was blinded in his left eye, suffered severe lung damage, and continues to experience issues with his speech. Combat medical professionals said Kenton survived the unsurvivable. Army Surgeon Colonel Jennifer Gurney, Chief of Trauma Systems Development, was with Kenton for the next 49 hours as he underwent 13 surgeries. “Kenton, if he wasn’t a complete specimen of health before all this happened, he would have unlikely survived all of his injuries,” Gurney stated.
Kenton has undergone extensive rehabilitation over a period of a year and a half following his surgeries. He now resides with his wife, Lindsey, and their children in a home provided by the Gary Sinise Foundation and the R.I.S.E. Program, which has the honor of building custom, specially adapted smart homes for severely wounded heroes. Kenton has received numerous awards for his service to our nation, including a Bronze Star Medal, a Purple Heart, and three Navy Achievement Medals. He is proud to have been named the 2010 USO Sailor of the Year.
The monument will be 6 feet tall, 4 feet wide, and will be placed at the entrance to Greenville City Park, near the Gold Star Family monument and the American flag.
Please make checks out to:
Y.O.L.O. of Darke County Inc.
Memo: Kenton Stacy monument
Mail to: Y.O.L.O. of Darke County Inc.
P.O. Box 657
Greenville, OH 45331
