Kriti Mehrotra
As a documentary series living up to its title by delving deep into how a notorious global terrorist was disarmed for good, ‘American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden’ is truly unlike any other. That’s because this Netflix original comprises not only never-before-seen archival footage but also exclusive interviews with then-CIA personnel. Amongst those to feature here is Navy Lieutenant turned 9/11 survivor turned CIA Target Officer Kevin Shaeffer, whose personal experiences really put the impact of bin Laden into perspective.
Kevin Shaeffer Still Carries the Scars of the Pentagon Attack
The morning of September 11, 2001, was routine for Kevin Shaeffer as he left home and made his way to the US Department of Defense headquarters — the Pentagon — in Arlington, Virginia. After all, he was a proud Action Officer in the Strategy and Concepts branch within the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV), meaning he worked at the internal Navy Command Center. However, everything turned upside down for the entire administrative building at around 9 am as two commercial flights crashed into the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, New York City.
Everyone was on high alert as soon as it happened since they knew additional attacks could be imminent, yet no one could have ever imagined that another flight would crash into the Pentagon at 9:37 am. Kevin was admittedly watching the news about New York on television when the right side of the structure blew up into a gigantic fireball, knocking him down to the ground before he felt the burns. He knew from his military training and the clarity from the adrenaline rush that he was on fire, so he did his best to quickly put himself out before crawling over piles of rubble in the hopes of escaping.
Kevin actually managed to make it out relatively okay, following which he was immediately rushed to the hospital to be treated — it turns out he had been severely burned across 47% of his body. What followed for him was a grueling recovery at the Washington Hospital Center’s Burn Unit as well as a struggle with survivor’s guilt since he was the sole member of his department to still be alive. He had flatlined twice on that fateful day, but doctors, fortunately, managed to bring him back, so it wasn’t until he had done 3 months of rehab that he was ultimately allowed to go home just before Christmas 2001.
Kevin Shaeffer Continued Serving His Nation After His Naval Retirement
Kevin was honorably, medically discharged/retired from the Navy shortly after his return home, not long after which he was actually honored with the Purple Heart for his tireless service to his nation. It did admittedly take him some time to find his footing again after all was said and done, but 2003 gave him a fresh start as he was selected to be a part of the government-established 9/11 Commission. According to reports, he was one of the 26 professional staff members on the National Commission On Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States to ascertain precisely what had transpired and why.
Kevin subsequently decided to seek out critical roles against terrorism or in counterterrorism and counterproliferation in various government organizations, leading him back to the events of 9/11 in 2009. That’s when an old colleague had asked him to join a relatively newly established task force with the CIA, dedicated solely to finding, hunting, and killing al-Qaeda founder/leader Osama bin Laden. He was actually a Target Officer for them, so he was right there in the office when Operation Neptune Spear was carried out against him in May 2011. In other words, he was a part of the group whose unseen intelligence and hard work eventually brought down the terrorist.
Kevin Shaeffer Has Evolved Into a Motivational Speaker
Since then, though, Kevin has decided to step away from being a government employee and dedicate all his energy to bringing about a positive change in the lives of those who can’t help themselves. In fact, now a resident of Coronado, California, he is a volunteer for the Village Elementary Parent Teacher Organization as well as a National Spokesperson for the Wounded Warrior Project. The latter, in particular, focuses on helping service members injured in the line of duty and their families find a solid community/support system as they try to adjust to their new daily normal.
As if that’s not enough, in March 2022, Kevin ran for the position of Trustee on the Coronado Unified School District Board, but it seemingly didn’t work out for him despite his making 3 pledges. He had promised to earn the trust of students and parents alike, vowed to do his best to ensure neutrality in school politics, and even swore he would prioritize academic excellence, but to no avail. So now, while running his own company, Shaeffer Speaks (established in 2024), he primarily serves as a motivational/keynote speaker at different business organizations, educational institutions, and non-profits. Whether it be effective strategies, internal work cultures, leadership qualities, or team-building concepts, he specializes in it all.
Kevin Shaeffer is a Proud Family Man Today
From what we can tell, Kevin is a happily married father of three based in Coronado, California, as of today, where he is surrounded by their affection, care, and love every step of the way. He and his wife, Blanca Funes Shaeffer (originally from the Republic of El Salvador but now a dual citizen), have reportedly been together for over 25 years, and they happily share two sons and a daughter. Thus, unsurprisingly, the former credits his family for helping him through some of the darkest times of his life, including the aftermath of the attacks and the operation that killed bin Laden after nearly a decade.
“There were times there when I couldn’t see out too far beyond a few months and never really thought that I’d get the strength and stamina back to be a good father,” Kevin candidly told CBS in 2003. However, the idea of not being there for his family was just not something he could even live with, so with the unwavering support of his loved ones, he managed to make a full recovery. Then, in another interview, he admitted that it was his wife who held his hand following the 2011 operation, giving him strength while also keeping his feet on the ground. So, Blanca and their three kids, including Grammy-winning music producer Steven Shaeffer, are undeniably his everything.
Read More: Where is Tracy Walder Now? Update on Ex-CIA Analyst
