WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS TO ATTEND FUNERAL OF AFGHAN VETERAN AND ADVOCATE. (PHOTO).

 White House officials to attend funeral of Afghan veteran and advocate

Numerous administration officials and congressional leaders are expected in North Carolina today for the funeral of former Army Sgt. Michael Verardo, whose severe injuries in Afghanistan inspired his family’s involvement with the Independence Fund, ultimately elevated the charity to a national advocacy role.

Verardo, 40, died on August 26 from complications stemming from wounds sustained in a roadside bomb attack in April 2010. The ambush left him with the loss of two limbs and extensive burns, requiring more than 120 surgeries over 15 years. The Independence Fund praised his legacy, saying he “profoundly shaped the veteran community,” influencing programs, improving care within the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense, and creating lasting support networks for U.S. wartime allies.

Funeral services in Weddington, N.C., are expected to be attended by Vice President Mike Pence, VA Secretary Doug Collins, North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, and other federal and state officials. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein ordered flags at state facilities to fly at half-staff until Tuesday evening in Verardo’s honor. Last week, President Donald Trump paid tribute to Verardo on social media, highlighting his family’s service and sacrifice as emblematic of the American spirit.

Verardo’s work with the Independence Fund, founded in 2007 to provide wheelchairs and support equipment to wounded veterans, helped transform it from a regional charity into a prominent advocacy organization regularly involved in White House and Capitol Hill events. He and his wife, Sarah, became involved with the group in 2012, and by 2017, she was named executive director. The couple frequently shared their caregiving and recovery experiences with the Trump administration, advising the Department of Veterans Affairs and participating in events addressing veterans’ services.

In April, several dozen veterans from the Independence Fund attended a White House ceremony with Trump, Collins, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and other Cabinet members to discuss challenges with VA programs. In a social media post last week, Sarah Verardo said she and their three daughters were heartbroken by the loss. “He fought the good fight every single day and gave us everything he had,” she wrote. “I promised him that I will forever do relentless good in his honor.”