Jonathon Blank, a 32-year-old former marine, has served his country with honor in Afghanistan, a service that cost him both his legs.
The road to recovery was steep, filled with emotional turmoil and staggering medical and rehabilitation expenses.
But in the midst of this challenging journey, a beacon of hope emerged in the form of Gary Sinise, the renowned actor from Forrest Gump.
Sinise, known for his compassion, kindness, and philanthropy, reached out to Jonathon through his foundation, the Gary Sinise Foundation.
The foundation, which has a long-standing commitment to supporting veterans, offered to alleviate some of Jonathon’s burdens by building him a custom-made home.
Upon hearing the news, Jonathon expressed his gratitude to a local news station, saying that this generous gift would make the “next phase of life much easier.”
He added, “It’s such an incredible gift.”
“Even some of those tough guys, when they found out about this, they got pretty emotional about it.”
Jonathon’s journey began when he joined the Marine Corps after graduating from high school.
Four years later, he was deployed to Afghanistan, where a devastating event happened which cost him his legs and left him with injuries to his head and arms.
Today, Jonathon continues to grapple with chronic pain, insomnia, migraines, and more.
“The world is not meant for people with disabilities,” Jonathon said, reflecting on his daily struggles.
“It’s just a hard truth and that’s something that I’ve dealt with every day since I was injured.”
Sinise, who portrayed the disabled veteran Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump, has already built nearly 60 homes for wounded veterans through his foundation.
Jorgenson Builders, the construction company that collaborates with the foundation, is eagerly preparing for Jonathon’s custom-build project.
“We really have to be thinking about how they are going to access each of the levels of the house,” said a representative from Jorgenson.
Jonathon’s new home will be fully energy-efficient, equipped with remote-controlled light fixtures and shades, and integrated with voice-activated technology, particularly in the kitchen.
Brittney Harris, Jonathon’s girlfriend, is thrilled about the positive impact the home will have on his life.
“He’s dragging, hauling all his stuff up and down the stairs all the time,” Brittney said.
“Nothing slows him down, but just to imagine cupboards that he can pull down and reach rather than having to jump up there, it’s going to be such a huge difference for him.”
Jonathon and Brittney currently reside in a three-bedroom home.
Their new house, likely to be a two-story building due to the topography of their location, will include a lift for easy movement between floors.
Jonathon has been actively involved in the planning and layout of the building, a process he initially didn’t expect to be part of.
“Honestly, I didn’t really know that I would be so involved with the planning and the layout of the building,” he said.
Overflowing with gratitude, Jonathon and Brittney look forward to the joy and comfort their new home, a generous gift from the Gary Sinise Foundation, will bring.
As we celebrate this heartwarming story, we salute Jonathon for his service and bravery.
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