St. Louis, Mo.—The National Wood Flooring Association has provided flooring for its 88th home in support of the Gary Sinise Foundation Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment (R.I.S.E.) program.
The foundation dedicated the latest home to U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. James “Eddie” Wright on March 26 in Montgomery, Texas. NWFA member Mullican Hardwood Flooring donated the flooring for the project.
Wright completed two deployments in Okinawa and the Middle East. He later joined the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion and deployed to Fallujah, Iraq. In 2004, insurgents ambushed Wright’s unit while he rode in the lead vehicle of a convoy. During the firefight, a rocket-propelled grenade struck his rifle and exploded. The blast severed his right arm below the wrist and his left arm below the elbow.
“I’m told that even while tourniquets were being applied to slow his bleeding, Sergeant Wright still managed to calmly direct other Marines to safety,” said Stephanie Owen, NWFA president and CEO. “He received 40 pints of blood over the course of his medical evacuation to the U.S. and 40 more to save his life. His rehabilitation has been long and grueling, but he has never lost his positive attitude. We’re honored to partner with Mullican to provide beautiful real wood floors for his new home.”
The R.I.S.E. program builds mortgage-free homes for severely wounded veterans and first responders. The organization customizes each smart home to meet the recipient’s needs.
A list of participating companies is available at nwfa.org/giving-back.