A North Alabama injured veteran was welcomed home Tuesday to a brand-new house in Athens built and donated by a local developer working with country music legend Lee Greenwood and the Helping a Hero organization.
A North Alabama injured veteran was welcomed home Tuesday to a brand-new house in Athens built and donated by a local developer working with country music legend Lee Greenwood and the Helping a Hero organization.
Louis and Patti Breland presented the keys to the fully adapted wheelchair-accessible home for amputee U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Scott Barkalow as Greenwood, the project ambassador, sang "God Bless the USA."
“Sgt. 1st Class Scott Barkalow is selfless on the battlefield and here at home,” said Meredith Iler, founder of Helping A Hero’s Home Program. “Breland Homes has built an incredible four-bedroom, three-bath home that is fully adapted to Scott’s needs, whether he is in a wheelchair or on his prosthetic. It has wider doors, a roll-in shower and other safety adaptations to make daily living easier, whether on his prosthetic or in a wheelchair. It is a privilege to serve this hero, as I have the utmost respect for him and his personal sacrifice for our freedom.”
Barkalow joined the Army in 1984, then spent 20 years in the National Guard. Barkalow deployed to Afghanistan with a group of Green Berets in 2003. He was on a mission when his truck rolled across an anti-tank mine.
The blast blew off Barkalow’s right leg. He received the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart.
Barkalow spent two years at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he had 18 surgeries.
Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops, has pledged 25% of the cost of the next 100 Homes and invites other companies and citizens to join him in the 100 Homes Challenge to benefit wounded veterans.
His home is complete, but the organization's work is not done. The group has pledged to build another home for another North Alabama veteran. That project's construction should be completed in the next two months.
The Helping A Hero nonprofit builds specially adapted homes for qualifying service members through partnerships made with builders, suppliers, patriots and veterans nationwide.
The public can “Nominate a Hero” for a new home, while heroes who were wounded during the War on Terror after 9/11 and need adaptive housing can complete the “Home Application." Both forms are available here.
