HEROES AMONG US
he won’t have problems down the road. So they are building the house to accom- modate wheel chairs. Tat means making hallways and doors wider and counters lower. Te cabinets are designed to go up and down on a track like an elevator. In addition there are the more individ-
ual challenges that Mike faces. To meet those needs, almost everything in the two- story home can be controlled by an iPad and voice commands. Tat includes light- ing, HVAC, surveillance and even cabinet doors. Because of the extensive burns and skin
graſts, Mike’s skin is paper-thin and very sensitive to light and temperature. Tat means he needs cooler temperatures and specially tinted windows to block the sun- light. Water temperature is an issue as well since the spray must be at a temperature he can deal with when he steps in the shower. Te plumbing system is designed so that he can remotely set the water temperature. Since his prosthetic arms are driven by
electricity, backup generators are required to charge his arms and to keep the house cool. All of these systems are being inte- grated into a master control system, which Teeples predicts will be challenging on the construction end. Although he won’t know how it works out
until the process is over, Teeples believes the house will make a difference: “Nothing gives you more satisfaction than giving to someone who really needs it,” he said. Mike is looking forward to moving into
his new home, which the builder thinks will be ready this fall. He hopes, once liv- ing here, to have an impact on the soldiers at Fort Benning and to be an advocate. “If you look at the Vietnam era guys,
they didn’t get the benefits we get,” Mike said. “Tey really had to fight hard to get what they got, and a lot of the things I get are because of the Vietnam era guys. I want to make sure that when the veterans serv- ing here get out, they won’t have any wor- ries.” Te Tunnel to Towers Foundation and
Gary Sinise Foundation are continuing to raise money to pay for the home in Har- ris County and others being built around the country. A spokesman says each home averages a half million dollars to build. Te foundations hope the community will call 718-987-1931 to make donations of money and supplies.
AUGUST 2013 Columbus and the Valley 17 Schlitz turns ground on the site of his future home.
PARTNERS IN THE PROJECT The Gary Sinise Foundation helps veterans, first responders and their families through unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen and build communities
GarySiniseFoundation.org. Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation was founded after September 11, 2001 in
memory of off-duty New York City firefighter Stephen Siller, who ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to Ground Zero, where he lost his life. The Foundation is committed to build- ing smart homes for the most seriously wounded service personnel,
TunneltoTowers.org.
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