- November 17, 2024
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A former Army sergeant injured in multiple tours of duty in Iraq has moved out of the single bedroom he shared with his wife and three children in his mother’s Jacksonville home to a new, mortgage-free house provided by the Homes for Heroes program.
Kevin Sosa, 29, beamed as he opened the door to the Birchshire Lane house Thursday, March 26, seeing its freshly painted and scrubbed interior for the first time since the foreclosed home’s renovation. “Oh, wow,” he said, covering his eyes to hide the tears. His two sons, 5-year-old Karter and 3-year-old Kaithan, ran to the boxes of new Lego sets laid out for them on the living room floor. Sosa’s wife, Kendra, held the couple’s 18-month old daughter Charlotte, as the couple hugged.
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home has a pool, a two-car garage and a play set with swings and a slide in the backyard.
“This is like a big weight off my shoulders, receiving the home today,” Sosa said. “Because that was always my concern: How I’m going to provide for my family. And Building Homes for Heroes gave me an opportunity for a second chance.”
Sosa suffered a traumatic brain injury from IED blasts in the last two of his three Iraq tours, and also has post-traumatic stress disorder. He has an 80% disability rating, according to a news release at buildinghomesforheroes.org, and said he has nightmares. He’s uncomfortable in large crowds.
Sosa received multiple medals and commendations for his service, according to the news release, including five Army Commendation Medals, two Army Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, an Iraq Campaign Medal with four Campaign Stars, an Army Service Ribbon, three Overseas Service Ribbons, and a Combat Action Badge.
JP Morgan Chase Bank donates houses given to veterans through the program, said Homes for Heroes representative Kim Valdyke said, and recently received a $2 million state grant through the Back to Work program to employ local contractors to work on the homes.
But when Homes for Heroes representatives show veterans their future homes before renovations, “Most of our veterans, when they see a house, say, ‘Don’t worry, you don’t have to do any renovations, we’ll take it just as is,’” she said. “They’re so humbled to be getting a home that they’ll deal with it no matter what.”
Sosa is the second service member to receive a Palm Coast house through Homes for Heroes. The first, former Air Force staff sergeant Bryan Denker, received a home in the E-section in May 2014.
Homes for Heroes Events Planner Lindsay Morris said Homes for Heroes expects to place 30-40 veterans in homes nationwide this year.
