Homes For Our Troops (HFOT), a national nonprofit that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans, on Friday will hand over the keys to three veterans who have chosen to live in Canyon Lake, New Braunfels and Spring Branch.
The public is invited to attend and tour the new homes following each keys ceremony.
Canyon Lake
Army Staff Sgt. Brian Boone, who was severely injured while serving in Afghanistan, will be welcomed into his new home in a special ceremony at 11 a.m. Friday at 998 Malbec Loop (Algo Largo at Cordova), Canyon Lake.
Boone sustained severe damage to his left leg when the vehicle carrying him struck an improvised explosive device (IED) in Regional Command East, Afghanistan. The wound was so severe that doctors at Bagram Airbase were forced to amputate his leg.
His new home features more than 40 major special adaptations such as widened doorways for wheelchair access, a roll-in shower, and kitchen amenities that include pull-down shelving and lowered countertops.
The home also will alleviate mobility and safety issues associated with a traditional home, including navigating a wheelchair through narrow hallways or over thresholds, riding on carpets, or reaching for cabinets that are too high.
“A lot of times the families of injured veterans get lost in the wash because all the focus is on us. Our families have made huge sacrifices too, and I feel like the gift that HFOT provides is a sound future not only for the veteran, but the families as well,” Boone said.
VFW Post 8800 in Sattler hosted a kickoff for the build-out of Boone’s new home in August 2022.
To watch a video about Boone’s journey, click here.
New Braunfels
A keys ceremony is planned for Army National Guard Sgt. Alejandro Seguritan at 9 a.m. Friday at 27611 Fels Mauer Blvd. (Rockwall Ranch HOA), New Braunfels.
Seguritan sustained severe burns on his neck, chest, fingers, and throat after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near his vehicle while he was on a route escort mission in Iraq. After being transported back to the United States he was treated at Brooke National Army Medical Center in San Antonio.
Although he currently does not use a wheelchair, Seguritanknows he will need to eventually.
Continued complications cause his right leg to collapse often, risking further injury.
He currently lives in a two-story home with his wife Val and their three children, and often becomes discouraged having to rely on his family for help.
Seguritan is looking forward to having a home spacious enough to fully enjoy his family’s company without navigating stairs and narrow hallways.
“Thank you for donating to HFOT, because the organization is not just giving away temporary fixes, but permanently changing lives one home at a time,” Seguritan said.
To watch a video about Seguritan’s journey click here.
Spring Branch
Army Sgt. Juan Arredondo walks into his new home at 132 Red Rose, Spring Branch (Mystic Shores) at 1 p.m. Friday.
On Feb. 28, 2005, during his second deployment, SGT Arredondo was on patrol with D Company, 1/506th Infantry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, when his vehicle drove over an improvised explosive device (IED) in Ar Ramadi, Iraq.
Arredondo sustained multiple injuries in the blast to his arms and legs, including a severed hand and shrapnel damage to both his legs. He spent a year in rehabilitation, relearning daily activities and using a prosthesis on his arm.
The former sergeant believes his new home will help him pursue future plans.
Arredondo can’t use his wheelchair in his current home because it is not adapted. A single-level HFOT home with wide doorways will be beneficial as he ages and needs to use a wheelchair more often.
“I have moved all over the world and the United States, never really having a place to call home,” he said. “I could not say ‘thank you’ enough times to HFOT’s donors and supporters.”
To watch a video about Arredondo’s journey click here.
