I was recently very fortunate to be involved in the dedication ceremony for Army Maj. Jeremy Haynes’ new “forever home” being built by The Gary Sinise Foundation. After the dedication and speeches, we were all asked to right affirmations on the walls.
Several news crews were in attendance, click on the clip below for the full video.
Gary Sinise Foundation Builds Home for Virginia Veteran
By Aimee Cho and Cordilia James
A Virginia community is giving back to a retired local veteran who nearly gave his life for our country.
"This will truly be a blessing for us, a place that we can call [home] forever," Haynes said.
Haynes had always felt at home helping others. He joined the military after 9/11 and served in Afghanistan in 2014.
There, an Afghan soldier shot him four times. One of the bullets hit his spine, leaving him nearly paralyzed.
"I remember screaming all throughout in just unbearable pain," Haynes said.
He spent hours at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and vows to walk again one day.
"There's still a mountain to climb and that mountain is not going to climb itself," Haynes said.
But learning to walk again isn't the only "mountain" on his mind. Together, he and his wife Chelsea raise four young sons.
After hearing his story, the Gary Sinise Foundation decided to build him a new house for free.
"May God bless you and your family and all the sacrifices you made," a speaker said at the house dedication event.
The house is expected to be finished in the next few months, organizers said.
Haynes managed to stand with support from his wife to give a speech thanking the people building his new house.
"I'm beyond grateful for your contributions, for your sacrifices. It truly means a lot to me," Haynes said.
