Air Force Academy-bound Mikhail Benner honors his war-hero father, on and off the football field
"My father," Benner said. "My dad served in the Air Force for 14 years. And serving has always appealed to me, ever since I was young. So, when the opportunity was given to me -- blessed to me -- I took it."
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FORT COLLINS — Mikhail Benner is a stellar student, a gifted athlete and a tough, quiet leader.
The Broomfield High School senior defensive back and wide receiver had scholarship offers from Yale, Penn, Cornell, Dartmouth, West Point and Washington State, among other schools. However, he chose the Air Force Academy. Why?
“My father,” Benner said. “My dad served in the Air Force for 14 years. And serving has always appealed to me, ever since I was young. So, when the opportunity was given to me — blessed to me — I took it.”
His dad, 41-year-old Deante Brooks, is a war hero. In 2010, he braved enemy fire to rescue a fellow airman during a firefight in Afghanistan. Brooks said he understands why his son looks up to him and admitted that he’s “thrilled” with Mikhail’s decision, but he always insisted that his son follow his own path.
“The first time we brought it up was during our trip down the Air Force for a visit,” Brooks recalled. “I was adamant, and I made sure he understood my point. I said, ‘Mikhail, don’t do this because of me. Don’t do this for me. Make this decision for yourself. Make this about yourself.’ ”
Brooks will be in the stands at Canvas Stadium on Saturday to watch the Eagles play in the Class 4A state championship game against Montrose. Mikhail is one of three sons Brooks will be watching. Donovan is a sophomore defensive tackle, and Khalil is a freshman defensive back.
In Broomfield’s 45-7 victory over Dakota Ridge in the state semifinals, Donovan and Mikhail tag-teamed for a first-quarter touchdown. Donovan flushed Dakota Ridge quarterback Kellen Behrendsen out of the pocket, forcing Behrendsen to scramble. The quarterback finally unloaded the ball, only to see Mikhail read the play perfectly, pick off the pass, and return it 35 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 Broomfield lead. It was the 16th interception of Mikhail’s high school career.
“It was one of a dad’s proudest moments, to see my kids out there,” Brooks said. “I can’t wait to see what they do in the state championship.”
Mikhail’s path to state and the Air Force Academy was steep. Early last season, he dislocated his shoulder but played through the pain the rest of the way. Three days after the Eagles’ season ended, he underwent surgery.
“He had 11 anchors inserted into his shoulder,” Brooks said. “Mikhail’s attitude was, ‘I’m going to get through this, and I’m going to be better next year.’ Man, that kid, he’s got so much heart.”
Just like his dad.
On May 19, 2010, Brooks was serving as a team leader for the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. Brooks was performing a security sweep of the airfield’s perimeter with a security forces teammate and several Marines when the Taliban attacked them.
Brooks heard a scream and realized a grenade had injured his wingman. He raced back to the base with the injured wingman, providing medical assistance along the way. Brooks then returned to the battle, manning a 50-caliber machine gun until helicopter help arrived.
“We had to get ourselves out of a bad situation,” recalled Brooks, who was honorably discharged from the Air Force in 2014 and now does security work for the Department of Homeland Security.
“I went back to the fight with my brothers and sisters,” he continued. “It was extremely scary. It’s not something that I talk about or bring up. It happened. You’ve got to live with it and make the best of it.”
Based on the son he’s raised, Brooks has done more than “make the best of it.”
“My dad is someone pretty special,” Mikhail said.
Like father, like son. And whether Broomfield wins or loses Saturday, Brooks knows Mikhail will soar in the future. So does Eagles coach Robert O’Brien.
“Mikhail Benner is a leader and a selfless individual,” O’Brien said. “When you’re already committed to Air Force, it would be really easy for him to cut corners, to take reps off. But he does not. He does the exact opposite.
“Mikhail Benner is going to be a special person on Saturday, but more so in the future when he graduates from the Air Force Academy and serves his country.”
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