Decorated local veteran honored for courageous global rescue efforts
A decorated local veteran is one of six Americans receiving this year's Citizen Honors Award for his courageous global rescue efforts.
Bryan Stern is the founder of a local non-profit focused on saving lives in some of the world's most dangerous places.
Grey Bull Rescue is a Tampa-based nonprofit that leads daring missions by land, sea and air, even venturing deep behind enemy lines.
TAMPA - A former military officer and founder of a local non-profit is being recognized for saving lives in some of the world's most dangerous places.
Bryan Stern has spent his life in service to his country and to people in need all across the globe.
"I'm a patriot, I've been to war a lot, I am a multi-tour combat vet, I got a Purple Heart and all kinds of stuff," Stern said.
Now, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society is naming him the 2024 Service Act Honoree, one of just six Americans receiving this year's Citizen Honors Award.
"To be recognized for valor and heroism by the epitome of valor and heroism in America, it was truly just remarkable," Stern stated.
READ: At 101, Dunedin World War II veteran reflects on service during 'Victory in Europe Day'
After serving in the military, Stern recognized a dangerous gap in global rescue efforts, one that left American citizens and allies stranded in war zones and disaster areas.
"We have more cases than we can fund right now. We've done 729 missions as of last week," said Stern. "We've rescued over 7,000 people and all those people pretty much asked for help from someone else."
That's when he founded Grey Bull Rescue, a Tampa-based nonprofit that leads daring missions by land, sea and air, even venturing deep behind enemy lines.
"We just rescued a set of six-year-old girls last week from the gangs in Haiti who were orphans," said Stern. "Their families were killed in Haiti or died in Haiti. They were adopted."
From conflict-ridden regions overseas to natural disasters at home, Stern's team has conducted life-saving operations around the world.
"We've worked in Africa, we've worked in Latin America, we worked in the Western Hemisphere, we worked all over Europe, we work all over the Middle East, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Russia, Ukraine, Sudan. All these crazy places," Stern added.
Whether it's rescuing hostages or evacuating civilians in crisis, their mission is clear: no one gets left behind.
For more on Stern's story and the Citizen Honors Awards, you can visit the Grey Bull Rescue website.
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Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Bryan Gray.
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