FREDERICKSBURG, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Over 100 motorcycles escorted Marine Sergeant Kenny Lyon to the home that will change his life. Homes for Our Troops, a national nonprofit presented Lyon the keys to a specially adapted home, completely mortgage-free.
Lyon suffered life-threatening injuries after a mortar attack, resulting in a left leg above the knee amputation. Homes for Our Troops, Atlantic Builders and 150 businesses and professional volunteers constructed the home in just four days. The home, the fastest built by the organization, marked the 100th home launched by Homes for Our Troops.
“I’ve travelled all over the country and witnessed communities stepping up for these veterans. Every now and then you’ll see one of these communities pull off something extra special, and what the Fredericksburg community did this week was absolutely amazing,” said John Gonsalves, founder and president of Homes for Our Troops.
The emotional high note of the ceremony came when Lyon reunited with the nurse who saved his life, Col. Paulette Schank. After a tearful embrace, Lyon explained how Schank directly transfused her own blood into his body, keeping him alive.
Lyon later expressed his appreciation to the crowd, saying, “The words ‘thank you’ feel so cheap when I won’t have to worry about anything anymore.”
Homes for Our Troops recently launched the 100 More…Homes for Our Troops campaign to further help the approximately 1,500 veterans living with severe injuries. The organization will rejoin Atlantic Builders and the Fredericksburg community on April 15 to launch the first home of the campaign.
To request additional photos, interviews, or to attend the April 15 build, contact Kaitlin Sanderson at ksanderson@susandavis.com.
About Homes for Our Troops: Homes for Our Troops is a national non-profit 501c 3 organization based in Taunton, Mass. founded by John Gonsalves in 2004 (www.homesforourtroops.org). The organization’s mission is to build specially adapted homes for service members who have been severely injured in combat operations since September 11, 2001. All specially adapted homes are built at no cost to the veteran thanks to donations from thousands of individuals, foundation grants, corporate sponsors, professional tradespeople and generous support from countless volunteers.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6678309&lang=en