Williamson County marine veteran receives homecoming of his dreams
ARRINGTON, Tenn. -- After losing both of his legs serving in Afghanistan during an IED blast, Marine Lance Corporal John Curtin struggled to get around.
Simple activities many of us take for granted, like getting a jar out of the kitchen cupboard or heading down the hallway to the bathroom, became a huge chore.
"Where I currently live is a multilevel home, there's step in and out of the house, thresholds, my wheelchair doesn't fit through some doorways," says LCpl. Curtin.
But as of Saturday, LCpl. Curtin and his family won't have to deal with any of that.
Featuring 40 special adaptations, the Arrington home has been built fully accessible just for him.
It's all thanks to nonprofit Homes for our Troops.
"We hear stories from veterans that have these injuries that go back to their homes and their wheelchair doesn't fit through the bathroom hallway, they just served our country, and now they have to crawl across the bathroom to use it," says Director of Development Chris Mitchell.
Mitchell says their homes feature pull down shelving, roll under sinks, barrier- free bathrooms, whatever it takes to make a life a little easier for veterans who gave so much fighting terrorism post 9/11 overseas.
"For these men and women, when they get injured, they're young and they're catastrophically injured," says Mitchell. "They've lost their legs, they've lost their arms, their vision, and they medically retire from the military at the pay that they were so they can't afford these homes."
LCpl. Curtin remembers the day he got the call from Homes for our Troops, offering to build him a home.
He was recovering in the hospital.
Eight years later, move in day is finally here.
"For me, it's a huge weight off my shoulders and a relief because I know John is comfortable every day and he's happy," says LCpl. Curtin's wife, Brittany Curtin.
"This house means I can give my family everything again, I can give them the best of me, there's no restrictions nothing holding me back as far as mobility wise," says Cpl. Curtin.
The Curtin home is the eighth Homes for our Troops home built here in Tennessee.
Three more are under construction in the Volunteer State.
Nationwide, the nonprofit has delivered 277 homes to veterans in 42 states.
