Crossville, Tenn.—As the exclusive tile supplier for the Gary Sinise Foundation’s R.I.S.E. (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment) program, Crossville is honored to have contributed all the tile for the specially adapted smart home for U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Tech Taylor Morris and his family. The house was dedicated in a ceremony April 5 in Iowa.
“It’s exciting to know a deserving wounded warrior and his family are enjoying the comforts of a brand new, specially adapted smart home—and that our tile is a part of their everyday surroundings,” said Lindsey Waldrep, Crossville’s vice president of marketing. “The tile options specified for EOD Tech Morris’ home are not only beautiful but also practical for a busy family.”
More than 1,800 square feet of Crossville tile was installed in the master bath, the guest bath and the mudroom/sunroom. BK Flooring of Cedar Falls, Iowa was the installer for all the tile, as well as the wood flooring, for the Morris home.
The master bath floor and shower feature Crossville’s Moonstruck collection in the Kosmos hue, a color that incorporates sandstone-textures and rich striations reminiscent of ancient native rock formations. In addition, the design team specified Yin + Yang for the shower floors. This specification adds a sense of balance with its mix of shape and sizes and offers the slip resistance required for wet area applications.
The designer also specified Moonstruck in Kosmos for the guest baths. In the mudroom/sunroom, the Moonstruck collection in Gemini provides a natural, rugged aesthetic and offers the lasting performance desired for such a busy area of the home.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Tech Taylor Morris was leading a team in Afghanistan when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated beneath him. He lost all four limbs. Morris recalled the moment, “As soon as I stepped on it, I knew. Then I heard the blast. I felt the heat. I knew I had lost my legs. As I somersaulted through the air, I watched my legs fly off.”
Even though Morris was bleeding to death, he told oncoming medics not to approach. Putting their safety ahead of his own, he worried there were other mines the medics wouldn’t see. He did not want anyone else to get hurt.
Morris’ family and his longtime girlfriend, Danielle, provided him ongoing support and love throughout recovery. He proposed to Danielle in 2015, and they are now married. They look forward to starting a new chapter of their lives in their specially adapted smart home.