There are 3 facets of Jared Allen’s life that quite appropriately depict what he is all about. Faith, family, football. In that order. However, left off the list is something Allen has learned through these three mediums; the desire to give back. Allen’s generosity has been recently felt by one Sgt. First Class Cory Remsburg, from a guy whose magnanimity certainly trumps his colossal physique.
You probably know him as the Army Ranger whom President Barrack Obama praised and commended during his State of the Union Address this past January. Sitting in between First Lady Michelle Obama and his father, Craig Remsburg, he received a two-minute standing ovation that seemed to momentarily erase any and all divides that stood between all attendees on the Chamber floor. Sgt. Remsburg represents the epitome of whom Allen and his team at Homes for Wounded Warriors are trying to assist.
On October 1, 2009, engaged in his tenth overseas deployment, Sgt. Remsburg’s life changed forever when his platoon struck a roadside bomb. Face down in an Afghan canal, Remsburg laid paralyzed and unable to see. After being rescued, Sgt. Remsburg spent the next three months in a coma due to the shrapnel that became lodged in his head from the blast.
President Obama had the pleasure of meeting Sgt. Remsburg when they both attended the Normandy commemoration five years ago. However, the next time the two would meet would be in a different fashion.
Dozens of surgeries later, Sgt. Remsburg is walking, talking and doing his best to overcome the obstacles that seem incredibly easy to those who never experienced an injury liken to his. Here is where the work of No. 69 comes into play.
Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors has partnered up with the Ranger Lead the Way Fund as well as the Ride 430 Challenge Team to provide Sgt. Remsburg with a home that’ll allow him to live independently. A home that Sgt. Remsburg has certainly earned.
The average cost for disability remodeling in a home is around $38,700 dollars according to fixr.com. A staggering price that is nowhere near manageable for many wounded veterans returning home. Disabilitystatistics.org tells us “2,313,600 out of 11,462,900 non-institutionalized civilian veterans aged 21 to 64 years reported having a VA service-connected disability in the United States in 2012.” Whether that disability is mental or physical, Allen and his team fundraise year-round through various mediums to provide home remodeling for those who need it most. The commencement of the remodeling for Sgt. Remsburg’s home took place this past Friday and can be seen below.
With the hard work of Allen’s group as well as the other two organizations, the home is set to be one of a kind. The plans are to bring down the existing home and rebuild it to fulfill Sgt. Remsburg’s basic needs and also to add a few unique luxuries. An automated home control system will be installed as well as a wheel-in pool. And rather than having to be transported to a rehab facility each day, Sgt. Remsburg will have his own personal gym within the confines of his new home.
Adding to Sgt. Remsburg’s new sense of independency, a guesthouse will be constructed so that his caretaker will be able to live near him rather than right with him.
His father, Craig Remsburg said, “For us, it’s another milestone for Cory. When he got hurt, we always thought he’d keep improving, keep progressing.” With these new modifications, Remsburg will be living a whole new life for himself, without requiring assistance for every task. And what’s an awesome home without some fun amenities?
A mini waterfall will be placed near the end of the pool as well as a bamboo tiki bar for Sgt. Remsburg’s enjoyment. “It’s a whole new chapter in his life; it leads him to his biggest goal,” said his sister Annie.
Allen is consistently coming up with new events to raise funds for Homes for Wounded Warriors, with one of the most successful ideas being his annual Night Ops V Charity Golf Tournament. The event features…
Celebrities, athletes and musicians playing 9 holes during the day and 9 holes of night golf, great food/BBQ and beverages, silent auction, hole in ones for new cars, longest slip-and-slide competition followed by awards ceremony. All Proceeds will go towards building handicap accessible homes for our injured United States Military. We proudly support all military branches!
For more information on Allen’s Night Ops V Charity Golf Tournament, visit http://www.helpingheroesnightops.com/. If you’d prefer to donate in another way, you can buy Allen’s official charity merchandise where proceeds go directly to the cause.
All proceeds go to benefit heroes like Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient Sgt. Remsburg. To learn more about Sgt. Remsburg’s progress and updates regarding his new home, you may periodically check the news bulletin on Allen’s page HERE.
