A mortgage-free home is awarded to an injured Marine veteran, courtesy of the Gary Sinise Foundation

Another marine veteran was gifted with a mortgage-free home by Gary Sinise Foundation. Marine Corps veteran Jose Armenta and his family are one of the many families who benefited from the foundation’s variety of services and programs for wounded veterans.

Jose Armenta had always dreamed of being a military service member, craving the structure and honor of military life at a very young age. He loved singing Army songs and listening to his grandfather’s stories during his time in the Army.

To start working on his dreams, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after he finished high school. He then became a K-9 handler and spent two more years training military dogs.

In 2011, during his deployment in Afghanistan, Jose stepped on a pressure plate filled with homemade explosives, making him lose both legs.

He was medically evacuated to the United States and had to endure thirteen operations followed by an extensive process of physical recovery.

“I wasn’t planning on being injured in the military, right? But life doesn’t care about your plans so you make the best of what life throws at you,” said Jose.

He retired from the Marine Corps in 2013 and continued his service as a police dispatcher while studying finance.

Though Jose realized his dreams and found success in life, it was still difficult for him to navigate daily life due to physical barriers.

Though he had wheelchair ramps at home, he still fell many times, and on one occasion, with his infant son. This made him feel bad as a father and wished he could have a home that will help ease his worries.

Thankfully, Gary Sinise Foundation understands the challenges that veterans face after serving in the Army.

They are currently building a safe, smart, mortgage-free home for Jose and his family. Their new 2900-square-foot home, which is currently under construction, is now going to meet Jose’s specific needs as a double amputee.

“The house is big and wide like the roof is high,” says Dean Armenta, Jose’s 9-year-old son, describing their new home.

The excitement of his 6-year-old daughter Bella was also apparent as she read a special message on her wall. “I love my room because my room is going to look so pretty,” the little girl said.

The Walls of Honor event encourages family and friends to write hopeful and inspiring messages before the drywall dries up. The Amaranta family got a lot of heartwarming messages and one of these was from Gary Sinise himself.

“The messages contained within these walls are written to fill your new home with the love and appreciation of a grateful nation,” wrote Sinise. He also expressed gratitude for Jose’s hard work and dedication while in the service.

At the end of his message, Sinise left a beautiful reminder for the veteran: “Your sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

Apart from the large space that their new home boasts, it was also designed to make Jose’s daily life easier and more comfortable. There are extra hallways that are very large and a big kitchen so he can move around quickly with his prosthetics.

Gary Sinise Foundation made sure that Jose will have a happy, safe, and comfortable life with his family without worrying about any possible accident.

Jose shared that he was haunted by the memory of falling with his infant son, which made him stressed and anxious for a long time. Now that he has a safe and especially-adapted smart home, he could not thank the foundation enough.

Jose Armenta is just one of the many veteran heroes who served the country despite all the dangers around them.

Even after retiring, he continues his good deeds by volunteering with local non-profits that help low-income families achieve financial literacy.

“I firmly believe that with every tragedy comes an opportunity to grow into a stronger, wiser version of yourself,” said Jose. I want to be a role model to my children so they, too, will work hard to overcome obstacles that come their way.”

Watch this video where the Armenta family shows gratitude for their new mortgage-free home: