Heroes to Homeowners: Hope and the American Dream

Homeownership can seem like an impossible dream for many combat veterans who have sacrificed to serve their country but must fight to earn a living after leaving the military on a medical disability.

 I will never forget the sense of pride and accomplishment when my wife and I were able to buy our first home in Fort Hood, Texas, just before I was deployed to Iraq for Operation Desert Storm. One of the greatest honors of my post military career is helping other veterans and especially those wounded by war. It’s even sweeter when I get a ring side seat and am able to be there with them when they fulfill their dream of home ownership.

 Vistra Communications recently provided support and participated in an event marking the 20th donation of a mortgage-free home for a wounded veteran through a partnership between the U.S. Bank Housing Opportunities after Military Engagement (H.O.M.E.) program and the Freedom Alliance Heroes to Homeowners program. I was there in Maricopa, Arizona, as the keys to a new house built by the award-winning Ashton Homes were turned over to an American hero, Christopher Hayden, a U.S. Army Sergeant medically retired in 2022. In April 2005, Chris was severely injured after a vehicle bearing an improvised explosive device (IED) rammed a Humvee next to his vehicle near Baghdad, Iraq. He jumped out to extinguish the fire, helping his wounded machine gunner, and was hit by burning shrapnel after a second blast that also caused traumatic brain injury.

 Years later, Chris still bears the scars of his visible and invisible injuries, but a sense of hope has been renewed. I will never forget the look of gratitude on his face as he accepted those keys and saw all that had been done to furnish his home with new furniture, pictures on the walls, new linens and towels to make sure he could sleep in his home that night. His father and stepmother were equally proud of him. 

The self-effacing hero he is, Chris questioned why he deserved such generosity.  He was shocked and could not believe this was happening to him.  Chris was grateful! All of us gathered there recognized that while he doesn’t have a mortgage based on money – he paid the price years ago with his service to others and our nation.

That’s what our vision has been at Vistra, to serve others and our nation, from working on government and nonprofit programs to helping working class families with laundry and providing heroes with homes. We want people to know we care about and haven’t forgotten our heroes. One of our core values is to engage with and have a positive impact on our local, national, and global communities. 

During this next chapter for Chris, he hopes to focus on his search for a new career, maybe working with animals at a zoo or in nature as a park ranger. He is writing a novel he hopes to have published soon. His story and the stories of so many other American heroes need to be told.

I’ll be first in line at the book-signing.

Thank you to all American heroes for your service and your sacrifice.

P.S. - If you would like to contribute to the Heroes to Homeowners program, please contact the Freedom Alliance at www.freedomalliance.org/donate