:dateline:Two area men received the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor, the nation’s highest honor given to law-enforcement officers who exhibit exceptional courage.
Retired Oak Creek police Lt. Brian Murphy and Officer Sam Lenda were honored at a ceremony on the White House grounds Wednesday.
The awards were conferred by Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder.
“I was kind of stunned because it is so much after the fact,” Murphy told WISN 12 News’ Joyce Garbaciak in an exclusive interview before he left for Washington, D.C.
Murphy took at least 15 bullets in August 2012 as he traded gunfire with a man who attacked the Sikh temple in Oak Creek.
Wade Michael Page killed six worshippers before Murphy’s arrival on the scene drew Page out of the temple and into the scope of police sharpshooter Sam Lenda. Lenda’s bullet injured Page, who then took his own life, ending the siege.
Murphy suffered gunshot wounds in his neck, chest, legs and arms but miraculously survived. To this day, he receives injections in his throat to keep his voice.
“If that’s the most I have to go through, then I’m very lucky,� Murphy said.
Murphy explained the Medal of Valor is bestowed every two years and because of the way the timing worked out, this is the first year he and Lenda were eligible to receive the honor.�
�Lt. Murphy and Officer Lenda displayed remarkable valor in the aftermath of the Sikh Temple shooting in Wisconsin,� U.S. Senator Ron Johnson said. �Their willingness to put the safety of their fellow man before their own is a sign of true courage and selflessness. I remain confident in the strength and resilience of our great nation because of people like Lt. Murphy and Officer Lenda.�
Murphy has received other national, state and local recognition because of his bravery during the shooting. Most notably, he was a guest of honor during the 2013 State of the Union address, as President Barack Obama singled him out for his actions.
“It’s just surreal at times,” Murphy said. “My dad was a sanitation worker, and my mom worked at a bank. The most you ever hoped for in your life was to just do a good job. All of these things that come my way — it’s just sometimes, it’s overwhelming because it just makes you think, ‘I never asked for any of this. I just wanted to do my job and be happy doing a decent job at it.’ So when all of this stuff comes your way you really are very humbled and made very small when you realize what a great thing this is.”
Murphy retired after 22 years on the force in June 2013. He now teaches law-enforcement classes at Waukesha County Technical College. He also works for Armor Express, the company that made the protective vest he wore the day of the shooting — a vest that helped save his life.
Oak Creek Mayor Steve Scaffidi and Oak Creek Police Chief John Edwards are in Washington to witness the ceremony. �
