25 October 2021 - HOW PURPLE HEART HOMES BEGAN

 

HOW PURPLE HEART 

HOMES BEGAN

 

G'day folks,

Dale Beatty was serving in Iraq as a National Guardsman when a routine patrol went horribly wrong. An unseen anti-tank landmine sent Beatty’s vehicle flying 50 feet in the air and pinning his legs to the ground. 

 

As a result, Beatty had to have both legs amputated. Though it was a tragic event, this veteran never lost his upbeat attitude and his gratitude for life. He spent a year recovering from his injuries, thinking of his dream to build a home for his family, a dream now lost with his legs. Or so he thought. A member of his church persuaded the local builders association to help the veteran build his wheelchair accessible dream home. 

 

During this time, Beatty reached out to a fellow veteran named John Gallina, who carried his own less visible wounds having been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. After Beatty’s home was completed, the two decided to pay the favor forward and started their own non-profit organization in 2008 called Purple Heart Homes.

Purple Heart Homes helps all disabled veterans regardless of their service record or the war they survived, unlike many other non-profits that aid in building US veterans’ homes. They have built and modified homes for over 30 disabled veterans. As Beatty puts it, "We wouldn't leave someone behind on the battlefield. Why would we do it at home?"

 

Clancy's comment: Wonderful idea. 

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