Soldier Gives Own Life to Save Afghan Girl

Incredible story coming out of Afghanistan. The first part of this video shows Sgt Dennis Weichel surprising his children last Christmas. Fast forward to 1:25 in the video to see the breaking story of how he saved a young Afghan girl's life and gave his own in the process. The official Pentagon news release says he died "from injuries suffered in a noncombat related incident." But there is much more to the story. Weichel, 29, of Providence, died saving the life of a little girl. According to the Rhode Island National Guard and the U.S. Army, Weichel was in a convoy a week ago with his unit in Laghman Province, in northeast Afghanistan. Some children were in the road in front of the convoy, and Weichel and other troops got out to move them out of the way. Most of the children moved, but one little girl went back to pick up some brass shell casings in the road. Afghan civilians often recycle the casings, and the girl appeared to aim to do that. But a Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicle was moving toward her, according to Lt. Col. Denis Riel of the Rhode Island National Guard. MRAPs, as they are known, usually weigh more than 16 tons. Weichel saw the massive truck bearing down on the girl and grabbed her out of the way. But in the process, the armored truck ran him over, Riel said. The little girl is fine. Weichel died a short time later of his injuries.