Homes For Our Troops and the NFL team up to celebrate groundbreaking on new adapted home for injured Marine

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Apr 19, 2018, 02:24 ET

MANSFIELD, Texas, April 19, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The national Military & Veterans nonprofit, Homes For Our Troops (HFOT), in collaboration with the NFL, will celebrate the start of construction on a new specially adapted custom home for retired Marine SSgt Omar Milan, who was injured in Afghanistan. The public is welcome to attend this special Groundbreaking Ceremony, which will take place on Saturday, April 28 at 160 Oakwood Court, Mansfield, TX 76063 at 10 a.m. (Check-in begins at 9:30 a.m.) All guests are encouraged to register in advance for this event at www.hfotusa.org/milan.

National non-profit Homes For Our Troops will be breaking ground on a new specially adapted custom home for Marine SSgt Omar Milan in Mansfield, TX on April 28th

The Groundbreaking event signifies the start of the build process, and will provide members of the HFOT organization an opportunity to introduce SSgt Milan and his family to the entire community. The NFL will also present HFOT with a $50,000 grant to continue its mission to help post-9/11 Veterans rebuild their lives. Among the attendees will be representatives from the NFL, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, and the Dallas Cowboys' official mascot, Rowdy. Festivities at the event will also include a free barbecue lunch for all guests, courtesy of Texas Roadhouse, one of HFOT's national corporate partners.

About SSgt Milan: During his third tour on Jan. 9, 2012, SSgt Milan, an explosive ordnance disposal specialist, was conducting post-blast analysis in support of the 2^nd Battalion, 6^th Marines, in the Nawa District of Afghanistan when he was in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion. The blast resulted in the loss of SSgt Milan's right leg, significant injuries to his left leg, loss of fingers on his left hand, and damage to his right arm.

Now medically retired, Omar lives with his wife Michelle, and their two daughters. In his free time he loves woodworking, which he says helps him deal with stress, and cheering on the Dallas Cowboys, especially tight end, Jason Witten. Omar plans on going to school for mechanical engineering.

The home being built for Omar will feature more than 40 major special adaptations such as widened doorways for wheelchair access, a roll-in shower, and kitchen amenities that include pull-down shelving and lowered countertops. The home will also alleviate the mobility and safety issues associated with a traditional home, including navigating a wheelchair through narrow hallways or over thresholds, or reaching for cabinets that are too high. Mansfield Custom Homes is the build partner for this project.

HFOT has built over 250 homes since the organization's inception in 2004, and relies on contributions from donors, supporters, and corporate partners for the building of each Veteran's home. To find out more on how to get involved or make a donation visit www.hfotusa.org.

Read more about Omar's story at www.hfotusa.org/milan.

SOURCE Homes For Our Troops