HOT PURSUIT

Last week I was fortunate to witness how a nationwide organization is benefiting our country’s veterans right in our own back yard.

Behind the stream of red lights and sirens from local emergency personnel, Building Homes for Heroes lit up a neighborhood on the north end of Owatonna. At the same time, the nonprofit sparked what truly could be a life changing event for a disabled veteran and his family.

For the first time in his life, Army Private Michael Bryant, 50, became a homeowner. He was given a mortgage-free home for the sacrifices he made in defending our country while in Iraq. The hope is it will provide the stable foundation he needs to live out the rest of his life.

Without question, it was one of the most heartwarming events I have seen in quite some time. To see someone care enough to pick up this disabled veteran’s life and turn it around is beyond extraordinary. He deserves it for everything he has endured.

Bryant is the recipient of a home that was on the brink of ruins following a foreclosure. “There was a lot of abuse to the home. It was in horrible shape,” said Rusty Smallwood, operations manager of Building Homes for Heroes in referring to the newly renovated house. “We did a complete gut job because of its terrible condition.”

It was touching to see Bryant and his family enter the home for the first time. After a short tour of the house, the family gathered for a group hug a couple times. Along with the hug, there were tears shed.

He has faced a rough road since fighting in Iraq during two combat deployments that began two decades ago. Along with various physical injuries, Byrant also suffers from PTSD and a traumatic brain injury. He is permanently disabled.

Building Homes for Heroes constructs, modifies and gifts homes to injured veterans and their families, as well as Gold Star families, enabling them to build better and brighter lives. The hero homes help remove the family’s financial burden, to restore the veteran’s freedom and to support the veteran to lead a more independent and productive civilian life.

They have been making a big splash across the country since 2006. As of early September, 433 homes have been given to veterans. They have done 50 homes just this year. They hope to hit the milestone of 500 homes by the end of next year.

All homes gifted are modeled to meet the needs of the veteran and their family, helping to improve their day-to-day quality of life, and assist them in leading a hopeful and promising future.

One of the things that Bryant told me last week is how he hopes to get out into the community more and do some volunteer work.

Bryant, as well as other veterans, deserve our support. With Veterans Day coming up in a few weeks, I hope you will take the time to thank a veteran for the freedoms we so selfishly enjoy.

We all need to be committed to going in hot pursuit of honoring those who have served our country.