Volunteers Remodel Home For Army Veteran In Moore

Honoring and healing, that's what one group is doing to help Oklahoma veterans. This week, that help came through a complete remodel of a home in Moore.

“In the garage we're doing some electrical work,” Bryan Rich said.

It’s just one of the many improvements Rich pointed out that needed to be done at his house.

“We had about 30 feet of plumbing collapse, so I’ve been doing most of it by myself,” he said.

A huge undertaking for the Army veteran, who after serving one combat tour in Iraq, came home with PTSD and back problems. His service dog, Ranger, provides some comfort.

“He helps with my mobility along with my PTSD and anxiety,” Rich said.

However, for his crumbling home, Honoring America's Warriors stepped in to help.

“It's pretty much a complete makeover inside,” said Scotty Deatherage, the executive director for Honoring America’s Warriors.

The organization started five years ago. The group helps families with military funerals and home repairs as well as provide outdoor activities and services dogs for veterans.

“It gives them pride in their home, it restores a lot of self-esteem and it takes a lot of pressure off of them knowing that they don't have to make those repairs,” said Deatherage.

Volunteers started on Wednesday pulling out all the old, then worked to put it all back together, with new flooring and new bathroom vanities.

“It's amazing. It's definitely stuff I couldn't do,” Rich said.

They also repaired walls and made plumbing and electrical updates.

“Now we're pretty much down to the trim,” Deatherage said. “We're replacing some sheetrock in the garage that had some water damage, and putting up a new garage door opener.”

“It looks nice,” said Rich. “I've got five kids, my wife and five kids, so it gives me more time to spend with them.”

After the trim work is all done and the paint dries, the family hopes to move back in Sunday night.

“The good thing of it is when they move in here everything's done, it's like they’ve moved into a completely new home,” Deatherage said.

“They've redone every room in the house so it's quite an honor,” Rich said.

Through its critical home repair program, Honoring America’s Veterans complete two to three major service projects a year, funded by the Home Depot Foundation and the Harris Foundation.

For more information about Honoring America's Veterans, click here.