Special Homecoming For An American Hero

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Pocket
WhatsApp
Sept. 2014 groundbreaking ceremony for Vaughan's home. (Photos courtesy of Building Homes for Heroes)
Sept. 2014 groundbreaking ceremony for Vaughan’s home.
(Photos courtesy of Building Homes for Heroes)

With Veteran’s Day approaching, hundreds of neighbors, friends, family members, veterans and other supporters will cheer on Corporal Kevin Vaughan of the United States Marine Corps on Saturday, Nov. 7, as he is presented with the key to a beautiful new house in his hometown of North Merrick. The presentation, led by Building Homes for Heroes CEO/Founder Andy Pujol, Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray, Senior Councilman Anthony Santino, Councilman Gary Hudes and other officials, will take place during a festive home ceremony in front of the wounded veteran’s new home on Little Whaleneck Road (between Decker and Abbott avenues) at 10 a.m.

Kevin Vaughan
Kevin Vaughan

Vaughan, who was seriously wounded while serving in Afghanistan as a member of the Third Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, will be gifted the two-story Cape-Cod style home thanks to the efforts of Building Homes for Heroes and its brigade of volunteers, donors and supporters. Building Homes for Heroes, a national organization based in Valley Stream, has built and gifted hundreds of homes to wounded veterans across the nation, but the Vaughan residence will the first Town of Hempstead home to add to its impressive mantle of helping America’s heroes.

The home ceremony in North Merrick will kick off Building Homes for Heroes’ four days of gifting homes across the nation in honor of Veterans Day on Nov. 11. After Saturday’s event in North Merrick, the organization will gift homes to wounded veterans in Arizona, Nevada and Florida.

“There’s no better way to start an amazing four-day journey than right in the heart of our hometown in the Town of Hempstead,” Pujol said. “We could not have become one of the nation’s fastest-growing veteran’s charities without our generous supporters, and the volunteers who are committed to helping us build homes for veterans, while rebuilding the lives of our nation’s heroes.”

“Corporal Vaughan is a true hero who courageously put his life on the line to preserve the freedoms that we enjoy as Americans,” Murray said.

“Thanks to the tireless efforts of Andy Pujol and his wonderful team at Building Homes for Heroes, this incredibly brave young man will move into his own home in his beloved hometown,” Santino added.

Vaughan was wounded in Afghanistan in September of 2011 when the vehicle in which he was traveling in struck an 80-pound pressure plate (improvised explosive device) while he was carrying out combat operations in the Southern Helmand province. As a result of his injuries, Vaughan, who was treated for 15 months at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, had his left leg amputated below the knee and his right leg reconstructed with rods and screws. He was treated for other major injuries as well.

Vaughan, a Wellington C. Mepham High School graduate, earned the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Navy Sea Service Ribbon and the NATO Medal.

Led by President/CEO and Founder Andy Pujol, the Valley Stream-based non-profit Building Homes for Heroes has gifted 22 homes to veterans in 2014 and plans to gift 31 homes, nationwide, by the end of this year.

Local officials greet Kevin Vaughan at his "Welcome Home" celebration in Sept. 2014. (Photos courtesy of Building Homes for Heroes)
Local officials greet Kevin Vaughan at his “Welcome Home” celebration in Sept. 2014.
(Photos courtesy of Building Homes for Heroes)

Partnering with Building Homes for Heroes, Hempstead Town’s Building Department has waived all building permit fees, providing a savings of $2,400 to the charitable organization that is building Vaughan’s home.

To see more coverage of Vaughan’s homecoming, including the groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 9, 2014, and time-lapsed coverage of the home being built, check out Building Homes for Heroes blog.

For more information, visit the organization’s website.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Pocket
WhatsApp

Never miss any important news. Subscribe to our newsletter.

Leave a Reply

Never miss any important news. Subscribe to our newsletter.

Recent News

Editor's Pick

x