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Charlotte soldier to receive Medal of Honor: ‘You never forget'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte soldier is about to receive the highest military honor -- the Medal Of Honor.

Sgt. Kyle White heroically saved his fellow soldiers, while under attack in Afghanistan.
 
"It is the worst day of my life. It's something I think about it multiple times a day," White said. "It's just something burned into your brain. You never forget."
 
White said he remembers Nov. 9, 2007, like it was yesterday. That was the day his platoon was in Afghanistan. That was the day six Americans lost their lives. That was the day his actions earned him the Medal of Honor.
 
White said this is one of the first times he's publicly shared memories of that day. It has been difficult for him to share this story but he's glad he's finally doing it.
 
"I feel that this opportunity to get those names who gave their lives -- give them a chance for their names to be heard and their voices to be heard because I'm still here and they're not." White explains.
 
Despite being injured in the attack himself, he ran through enemy fire -- to rescue his fellow soldiers.
 
Today, he says, whenever he needs a push, he looks down at a bracelet he never takes off.
 
It's a gift from Spc. Kain Schilling, a man who he rescued that day.
 
"He had this made and he has the same one. We never take it off," White said.
 
On it are the names of those who died: Cpt. Matthew Ferrara, Sgt. Phillip Bocks USMC, Sgt. Jeffery Mersman, Cpl. Lester Roque, Cpl. Sean Langevin and Spc. Joseph Lancour.
 
White met with Gov. Pat McCrory privately Wednesday.
 
"He just congratulated me on the Medal of Honor and thanked me for my service. He actually invited me and my girlfriend to the governor's mansion to have dinner," White said.
 
Honors aside, White said this Medal of Honor has a larger purpose. He wants to use it as a platform to raise awareness about the men and women still fighting overseas,

"This is just one story. I want people to know this is happening on a daily basis there," he said.
 
President Barack Obama will award Sergeant White the Medal of Honor on May 13.
 
He is only the seventh living person to receive this honor for service in Iraq or Afghanistan.