Builders Care Provides Home For Veteran

A MARINE VETERAN FROM DUNBAR BROUGHT TO TEARS AFTER BEING GIFTED A BRAND NEW HOME BY BUILDERS CARE IN THE CITY OF FORT MYERS, THE 71 YEAR-OLD VIETNAM VETERAN RECEIVED THE KEYS TO HIS NEW HOME ALONG WITH PRAYERS AND APPLAUSE. WGCU’S CULTURE AND CONNECTIONS. REPORTER ELIZABETH ANDARGE HAS THE STORY. FATHER GOD, WE THANK YOU. HEAVENLY FATHER, FOR THIS FAMILY FOR THIS NEW HOME, FOR THESE NEW BEGINNINGS. WE JUST PRETTY PUMPED ABOUT THAT BASS AND HIS HOME. HE SENT A PRICE TO SIGN IT RIGHT? >> FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS, LEWIS FREEMAN IS ABOUT TO HAVE THE HOME OF HIS OWN WILL. FREEMAN, WHO SPENT ALMOST HIS ENTIRE LIFE IN DUNBAR. HE LEFT ONCE TO SERVE IN THE U.S. MARINE CORPS DURING THE VIETNAM AFTER AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE. HE CAME BACK AND NEVER LEFT AGAIN. >> IT'S A LONELY. BEING A WORLD THAT NOBODY CARES. I HAVE A FEW RUTH. I DON'T WAS OFF OF THAT. THEY'RE THERE. >> LIFE DON'T FREEMEN A HARD HAND, A STROKE IN 2015 LEFT HIM UNABLE TO WORK AND LIVING ON A FIXED INCOME WHEN HIS RENTAL HOME WAS SOLD UNEXPECTEDLY, HE MOVED IN WITH HIS NIECE, HOPING ONE DAY FOR A PLACE TO CALL HIS OWN AGAIN. >> THEY DID. YOU >> I WAS LIVING AT A FAMILY HOME ON PRICE STREET. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE THEM, IDEAS OF HOW SLOWLY. DIFFERENT FROM JUST NUMBER ONE ON THE ON THE HOUSE. BUT, YOU KNOW, BEEN ALONE BODIES OF THE LONG IT'S GOTTEN HARD. IT IS BIG CONCORD GOT. OVER THE HUMP. KNOW THAT. DOES BUILDERS LEE COUNTY, NONPROFIT CONSTRUCTION CHARITY PARTNERED WITH LOCALS TO BUILD FREEMAN. A BRAND NEW 2 BEDROOM, 2 BATHROOM HOME. >> WITH BLOOD DONATED BY THE CITY OF FORT MYERS. THE WHOLE STRUCTURE WAS BUILT IN JUST 44 DAYS AT NO COST TO FREEMAN. >> HE >> DOESN'T HAVE FULL RANGE OF MOTION OF ONE OF HIS ARMS. AND WE'RE ALSO THINKING AHEAD INTO THE FUTURE. WE'VE THE COMMON AID WITH SOME RAMPS WITH SOME LOWER STEPS INTO THE SHOWER INTO THE FRONT ENTRY OUT OF THE BACK PORCH. JUST TRYING TO THINK AHEAD FOR A HOME THAT HE COULD AGE IN PLACE FOR AND BE COMFORTABLE IN FOR A LONG TIME. WE HAVE A GREAT BACK PATIO WITH A NICE TABLE AND SOME CUSTOM DOMINOES THAT WERE MADE. WE ALSO HAVE AN EMPLOYEE WHO MAKES THESE HAND CARVED WOODEN AMERICAN FLAGS. AND THAT'S AT THE CENTER PIECE OF HIS LIVING ROOM ABOVE HIS COUCH >> I DO GOOD. >> LETS HIM THAT HIS FAMILY OR LESS HIS HOME WITH THE LOVE OF CHRIST. WE DID THIS TO YOU NEXT YEAR. WE'LL BE FEELING THIS HOUSE WHEN THAT YOUR PRESENCE BE FIELD ALL THROUGHOUT EVERY ROOM, EVERY CHRISTMAS, EVERY SPACE YOU GO WHERE YOU THINK, YOU KNOW YOU FOR THESE IN JESUS’ NAME AMEN >> WELCOME HOME. MR. FREEMAN AND I GET TO HAND YOU THESE BEAUTIFUL KEYS. 1, 2, 3 WELCOME HOME MR. FREEMAN >> FOR WGCU NEWS, I’M ELIZABETH ANDARGE.