Injured Iraq war veteran comes home, to a free home of his own.
PLYMOUTH, MASS. - Sgt. Brian Fountaine was recovering in Walter Reed Army Medical Center when he got an unexpected visitor who offered to build him a house – free of charge. The visitor was John Gonsalves, founder of Homes for Our Troops, a nonprofit group that builds houses for severely injured veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Sergeant Fountaine, who lost both legs below the knees in Iraq, turned to his father after Mr. Gonsalves left and asked: "Is this guy for real?"
He is. This past weekend, Fountaine moved into a three-bedroom ranch here in Plymouth, Mass., completed with the help of hundreds of volunteers and donated building supplies and land. Homes for Our Troops saves an average of 60 percent on the cost of every home because of contributions like these.
"When a vet is in need, people come out of everywhere to help," says Mr. Gonsalves, a former contractor who calls on tradesmen and suppliers across the country to build the homes.
The homes are not "one size fits all," but are adapted to each vet's needs, Gonsalves says. While Fountaine gets around easily on his prosthetics, sometimes he needs to use a wheelchair, so his home was constructed with an open floor plan, extra-wide doors for the wheelchair, and a bathroom with special features.
So far, the agency, based in Taunton, Mass., has houses completed or under way in 20 states.
Sergeant Fountaine, who lost both legs below the knees in Iraq, turned to his father after Mr. Gonsalves left and asked: "Is this guy for real?"
He is. This past weekend, Fountaine moved into a three-bedroom ranch here in Plymouth, Mass., completed with the help of hundreds of volunteers and donated building supplies and land. Homes for Our Troops saves an average of 60 percent on the cost of every home because of contributions like these.
"When a vet is in need, people come out of everywhere to help," says Mr. Gonsalves, a former contractor who calls on tradesmen and suppliers across the country to build the homes.
The homes are not "one size fits all," but are adapted to each vet's needs, Gonsalves says. While Fountaine gets around easily on his prosthetics, sometimes he needs to use a wheelchair, so his home was constructed with an open floor plan, extra-wide doors for the wheelchair, and a bathroom with special features.
So far, the agency, based in Taunton, Mass., has houses completed or under way in 20 states.
Fountaine's is the 25th house the group has finished, and Gonsalves hopes to grow big enough never to have to turn down a vet who qualifies for the group's services. Of the approximately 30,000 injured veterans, he estimates about 2,000 are in the kind of condition that qualifies for help.
"To have a home that was built every second of its construction with Brian in mind, and everybody's thoughts being on love for Brian, and repaying him for what he's done – I've never been in a place like this," says Mary Long, Fountaine's fiancée.
"Ever since I came home from the hospital ... it's been literally amazing," Fountaine says. " I could never fathom the amount of support I've had, even from perfect strangers. They're against the war, they don't like the president, they don't like what's going on, but when us guys come home ... we're taken care of.... As my dad says, 'It's been a great ending to a bad beginning.' "
Fountaine and Ms. Long will be married June 8, the second anniversary of his "alive day," the day he survived the bomb that exploded under his Humvee. Then they will come home to a house built by friends they didn't know they had.
"To have a home that was built every second of its construction with Brian in mind, and everybody's thoughts being on love for Brian, and repaying him for what he's done – I've never been in a place like this," says Mary Long, Fountaine's fiancée.
"Ever since I came home from the hospital ... it's been literally amazing," Fountaine says. " I could never fathom the amount of support I've had, even from perfect strangers. They're against the war, they don't like the president, they don't like what's going on, but when us guys come home ... we're taken care of.... As my dad says, 'It's been a great ending to a bad beginning.' "
Fountaine and Ms. Long will be married June 8, the second anniversary of his "alive day," the day he survived the bomb that exploded under his Humvee. Then they will come home to a house built by friends they didn't know they had.
For more information on Homes for Our Troops, see Home For Our Troops.
A Sacrifice, And A Gift To The Troops
One Mother Of A Fallen Soldier Showed His Platoon Her True Support
BOSTON, March 21, 2008
One Mother Of A Fallen Soldier Showed His Platoon Her True Support
BOSTON, March 21, 2008
(CBS) Maureen O'Haire of Rockland, Mass., supports the troops, and not in the patronizing, bumper-sticker sort of way. She really supports the troops. Specifically, the Marines, CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman reports. And in particular, a platoon of soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. O'Haire has given them so much - starting with her son. Last year, just before his 21st birthday, Lance Cpl. Walter O'Haire was killed in Iraq. "God has a date we come in and a date we leave," O'Haire said. "And Wally did what he had to do and it was time to go back." Obviously, you can't ask for anything more from a Gold Star mom. But that proud Irish woman wanted to give more anyway. Using the $20,000 death benefit she got from the government, O'Haire offered to fly the whole platoon for a St. Patrick's Day bash in Boston. She welcomed them like family … exactly like family. "You bring all that mud in my house I'm kicking your ass," she said to one of the Marines. "They come into my home and they're just like having my other kids around," she told Hartman. O'Haire is widowed with eight other kids. She certainly had plenty of other ways to use that $20,000 - and yet she chose to spend it on the boys her son served with - for three days she put them up in a nice hotel, and took them all to church with her. And she made sure they got the royal treatment wherever they went. She even got 'em a spot in the big Boston St. Patrick's Day parade. Did they have a good time? What do you think? "I was amazed," one of the Marines said. "I mean this is just overwhelming." "She's probably one of the most amazing women I've ever met in my life," another said. "If a mother can cope with such a loss so well, I know I can do it too." It's the message - the gift - O'Haire was hoping these boys would leave with. "Men and women leave the service and they're very hurt because they lost good friends. And I don't want these guys to regret that Wally died," If these guys walk away and they remember Wally and not grieve - it will make me happy."
0 comments:
Post a Comment