Staten Island, New York, Nov. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — For the sixth straight year, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s Season of Hope will deliver gifts of forever homes for the holidays.
From now until Christmas Eve, the Foundation will deliver 40 mortgage-free homes nationwide to America’s heroes and their families.
Thanks to the support of Americans from every corner of this great country, this year Tunnel to Towers will deliver over 210 mortgage-free homes to America’s heroes and the families they left behind.
To launch this year’s Season of Hope, Tunnel to Towers paid off the mortgages and renovated the homes of three heroes to make them more accessible:
- USMC Corporal John Munoz-Ramirez – Lago Vista, Texas
- Army Specialist Andy Kingsley – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- San Francisco Police Sergeant Kevin Brugaletta – Petaluma, California
Corporal John Paul Munoz-Ramirez was born in San Jose, Costa Rica. Inspired by videos of Marines in action, he enlisted in 2005. While deployed in Afghanistan, Cpl Munoz-Ramirez triggered an IED. He lost his left leg below the knee and several fingers. He also suffered a traumatic brain injury in the blast.
He is looking forward to celebrating the holidays in his new smart home, where he can finally find stability and comfort with his family. “The modifications Tunnel to Towers made to our house were carefully designed to grow with me, each space thoughtfully crafted to reflect both my needs and the evolving journey of living here. The small, personalized details really make it feel like home,” said Cpl Munoz-Ramirez.
Specialist Andy Kingsley followed in his father’s footsteps by enlisting in the Army in 2008. On July 12, 2010, enemy forces attacked Combat Outpost Sabari in Afghanistan with small arms, rockets, and mortars. While fighting off the enemy, SPC Kingsley was catastrophically injured, resulting in the amputation of his right leg above the knee, shrapnel wounds throughout his body, the loss of one of his toes and one of his fingers, partial vision loss, a traumatic brain injury, and PTSD.
He spent over a year at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, learning how to navigate life with his injuries. Tunnel to Towers renovated his home in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, that he shares with his wife and children.
He is grateful to Tunnel to Towers for relieving the financial burden of a mortgage from his and his wife’s shoulders. “I feel truly blessed to have received help from Tunnel to Towers to be able to achieve the American dream of a paid-off home,” said SPC Kingsley, who added, “Words cannot express the gratitude I have and the stress relief I feel to have a forever home that caters to my physical needs as a result of my injuries from my time in service.”
Sergeant Brugaletta, an 18-year veteran of the San Francisco Police Department, was severely injured in March 2023 when a falling tree struck his police vehicle during a storm. The impact broke his neck and trapped him in the car as it caught fire. He was rescued by the fire department and sustained a spinal cord injury, burns, and smoke inhalation.
He spent seven months in an intensive care and rehabilitation hospital out of state, during which time his pregnant wife gave birth to their second daughter.
Despite these challenges, he remains focused on his recovery. “I can’t express enough how much this means to my family and to me,” said Sgt. Brugaletta. “It’s a huge burden lifted, and we can now focus on what matters most—my recovery and spending time with my loved ones.”
The Tunnel to Towers Smart Home Program supports America’s catastrophically injured veterans and first responders by providing specially-adapted homes that meet their unique needs. These homes feature smart technology and design features to ensure each individual can live as independently as possible.
“Thanks to the generosity of Americans from every corner of this great country, 40 families will receive the gift of a mortgage-free home or a specially adapted smart home this holiday season. These homes will give these heroes who risk everything for us a place to celebrate and gather this year and for many years to come,” said Frank Siller, Chairman and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
To learn more about the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and join us on our mission to provide homes for America’s heroes, visit T2T.org and consider donating $11 per month.
- Tunnel to Towers Pays off Mortgage for Injured UMSC Corporal to Launch the 2024 Season of Hope
- Tunnel to Towers Foundation Unveils Renovations for Injured Army Specialist Andy Kingsley