Volunteers who are a part of the Homes For Our Troops build brigade raise a wall in the home being built for Anthony Thompson who was injured on his second tour of Iraq.
By JENNIFER SUMMER
Updated: 01.19.10
It took less than four days for volunteer and construction crews to put up the walls and seal the home in the Waters Edge subdivision for former Humble resident PO 2nd Class Anthony Thompson.
As a part of the Homes for Our Troops program, crews which included Kingwood resident John Lavezzari worked from Jan. 7 through Jan. 9 to assemble the home for the injured veteran.
Thompson was injured during his second deployment to Iraq in 2007 when a dump truck detonated improvised explosive devices at the post he was watching.
Due to the incident, he suffered a severe traumatic brain injury, a spinal cord injury, a punctured right lung along with other scrapes and bruises. Thompson’s wife, Ivonne, was put in touch with Homes for Our Troops and was immediately approved for a home after she submitted the application.
Established in 2004, Homes for Our Troops is an organization that receives donated materials and labor to build homes for veterans who have severe multiple injuries.
“When I called the organization for an application, I was told that they heard of Anthony and were waiting for me to call,” Ivonne said in an interview with the Observer in August. “This program is so wonderful because it helps wounded veterans like Anthony get a home, which takes the burden off of the family.”
The Build Brigade descended upon the plot of land where the Thompsons’ new home was scheduled to be built and were hard at work to build the family’s dream home.
Lavezzari first become involved with Homes for Our Troops in 2006 when he responded to an advertisement and offered his services. The first home build he was assigned to was in the Canyon Lake area outside of San Antonio and he was asked to evaluate the site.
“Soon after I helped evaluate the site, I was offered the position as the director of the San Antonio Homes for Our Troops,” Lavezzari said. “When this job in Waters Edge came up, I was ecstatic because this is the community I live and work in. My son, Brian Lavezzari, and I jumped on the opportunity to help the Thompsons.”
Lavezzari’s son is now the overseer of the Homes for Our Troops in San Antonio.
The event started with a ceremony where almost 125 people from the community showed up in support along with the Rolling Thunder motorcycle group and officers from U.S. Customs who are now the Thompsons’ neighbors.
Ivonne was escorted to the special event by both groups to the ceremony after she flew in to the Humble area since Anthony currently resides in New Jersey.
The Build Brigade consisted of several community members including Doug Stanley and Rick Alspaugh, who donated paint among other things to the build as well as representatives from Pulte Homes and other sponsors.
“The home will be completely finish and available for the Thompsons to move into near the beginning of March,” Lavezzari said. “It truly is amazing to see the community step forward to help build this home and honor Anthony and his family; it is very motivational.”
Upon completion, there is a key ceremony where the home will be dedicated to the family.
For more information about Homes for Our Troops, log on to www.homesfortroops.com.
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