Iraq veteran Dave Gagne is getting his home entirely renovated as a thank you for his service
MENOMINEE -- After losing his leg while serving his country in Iraq, Derek Gagne never expected anything like this. Derek is getting a home makeover as a thank you for his service.
"I was astonished,” said Gagne. “I looked at my stepdad and I said, 'Who did you talk to? What did you do? How did you figure it out?'"
It all started when the group, Rebuilding Together, wanted to build a ramp in Derek's home to help him move around. From there the group teamed with Sears and its Heroes at Home program and the rest is history.
"Derek is just an amazing, amazing person here in the Menominee community,” said Sears Vice President of Public Relations, Tom Aiello. ”It makes a lot of sense for us to come out and help him and honor his sacrifice and service by really helping do some necessary renovations to make his life a little better."
The renovations include a new roof, garage, and appliances as well as plenty of volunteers throughout the community who are getting more out of the project than they expected.
“I'm speechless,” said Rebuilding Together President Mark Bonovetz. “It's not because of how the project has come and gone, but I've gained a new family. I mean there are people who I'll get Christmas cards with and communicate with for the rest of my life."
The Heroes at Home program has helped more than 550 veterans over the last three years across the country, and Derek couldn't believe that he was going to be next.
The project will be finishing up in the coming weeks, and one thought keeps running through Derek's mind. "It makes everything I sacrificed and I wanted to do in life worth it," Derek stated.
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