For many veterans who return home with life-altering injuries and disabilities, the idea of completing a home remodeling project is out of the question.
That’s why charities, donors and organizations across the country are helping veterans remodel their homes this holiday season.
One of these veterans is Army Ranger Cory Remsburg, who was injured by a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan in 2009 and is now partially paralyzed. The nonprofit Lead The Way Fund, along with NFL player Jared Allen’s Homes For Wounded Warriors charity, is installing a number of features in Remsburg’s home to make it more suited to his unique needs.
According to AZCentral.com, Remsburg’s remodeled home will have features like a wheel-in pool, a spa and an in-house gym that will allow Remsburg to continue his rehabilitation in the comfort of his own home. Remsburg’s caretaker will also be able to live in a separate guesthouse the charities are building on the property.
James Island, SC, resident Scott Petrie is another veteran whose home will get an upgrade for the holidays. After a life-changing injury that left him with permanent nerve damage, Petrie is unable to repair or remodel his home on his own, according to a Mt. Pleasant News 2 article.
Operation Homefront, an organization that works to help wounded veterans and their families, will be providing $70,000 and $80,000 worth of home repair and remodeling work for Petrie and his family — for no charge.
Planned upgrades include a hardwood floor replacement, which will add to the home’s aesthetic appeal as well as its property value, along with a newly paved driveway that is easier for Petrie to walk on. News 2 reports that Operation Homefront will also be installing new cabinets, landscape and deck work, new carpets, converting the garage into a ground-floor master suite and more.
Petrie and Remsburg are just two of the many former military members who will receive a holiday gift that makes living with their injuries easier and more convenient this holiday season. Across the country, countless veterans will be able to live more independently and be more at-ease in their own homes — a Christmas gift that keeps on giving.