Hundreds showed up Saturday morning to honor Petty Officer Anthony Thompson as he was presented a new home. The home near the shores of Lake Houston was built specifically for Thompson and his family by Homes for Our Troops an organization that has built almost 100 homes for our injured veterans and is setting a goal for another 100.
During Thompson’s second deployment he was stationed with a Marine unit near Fallujah, Iraq when a suicide bomber detonated almost 3000 pounds of explosives under the overpass. Thompson and seven of his group were all seriously injured. The only one that died was the suicide bomber.
Thompson was found unresponsive on a pile of concrete rubble. After being transported to Battalion Aid Stations, Thompson was transported to Landstuhl, Germany. Petty Officer Thompson suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury, an incomplete spinal cord injury, and a punctured right lung. He was airlifted to James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, Florida where he spent nearly three years in rehabilitation.
“The Key Ceremony we held this morning for Petty Officer Thompson and his family is a wonderful opportunity for us to come together and show our appreciation for our servicemen and women, remember that we are bound by our love of country, and the act of our innate need to give back to our brave American heroes who protect our freedom,” said John Gonsalves, founder of Homes for Our Troops.
Homes for Our Troops specially adapted homes go beyond ADA compliance, featuring open floor plans, roll-in showers, roll-under cooktops and sinks, and other standard accessibility items. Depending on the severity of the injury suffered by the veteran, the home may also include specialized items including lift systems, keyless door entry and voice activation control. The Thompsons’ new 2400-square foot home will provide maximum freedom of movement.
“Given the challenges of Anthony’s condition, having four walls around us that are ours – a home instead of a hospital – is more than I could have imagined. We no longer have to separate ourselves at the end of the day, which I’m incredibly grateful for. Our little boy AJ is starting to understand the meaning of home,” said Ivonne Thompson, Anthony’s wife. “Words cannot to begin to express the love and support I’ve felt from Humble and the entire city of Houston. This experience, receiving a brand new home from Homes for Our Troops, shows that people are good-hearted and will lend a helping hand.”
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