Marine veteran-amputee gets mortgage-free, custom-made smart home

• Marine Corporal Josue Barron lost his left leg and eye during his deployment in Afghanistan.
• In 2017, he applied for the R.I.S.E. program under the Gary Sinise Foundation and was granted to work on his very own smart home.
• The Foundation was honored to be able to award the mortgage-free, custom-made smart home to Josue and his family.

When Marine Corporal Josue Barron lost his left leg and left eye while on duty in Afghanistan, the Gary Sinise Foundation took the chance to honor him and his service to the country by giving him and his family a specially-adapted mortgage-free, smart home in Temecula, California.

The Gary Sinise Foundation, according to its website, has a mission to serve its nation by honoring its defenders, veterans, first responders, their families and those in need.

It was in 2017 when Josue applied to and was granted under Foundation’s R.I.S.E. program, and in 2019, their home project began.

According to R.I.S.E. project manager Pete Franzen, the specifications of the entire home are carefully planned and meticulously detailed, based on Josue’s needs. They have to make sure that Josue and his family will live comfortably.

“They’re a lovely family, so deserving, he protected our freedom, and this is our way to say thank you,” Elizabeth Fields, COO of the Gary Sinise Foundation said.

When their home was finally turned over to them, they were so thrilled because this seemed to be a fresh, new season for their entire family. Josue was even more excited as he knew he would be able to live somehow a bit independently, being able to move around the house with ease.

“Just being able to roll into the shower without jumping any obstacles, to be able to come home and have the whole house accessible to my wheelchair and me, it’s definitely going to change my life,” Josue said.

Josue, who had a difficult past especially in his early years, had no regrets despite what happened to him. Losing his job, his leg, and his eye meant nothing to him compared to the feeling of having served his country and fellowmen. And if there’s one thing he wanted to share to people, it’s the hope that in the face of hardships, there will always be a silver lining, and an inspiration to draw from.

“I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. I knew what I wanted. Everything that I do now has to have a purpose. I know that there are people that are going to go through the same thing that I went through, but they can see that there’s a different world out there, and I can show them that,” Josue said. 

Source: Inspire More