I love things like this. People helping people, enjoying entertainment to help out our heroes.
Rebuilding heroes’ homes note-for-note by Lindsay Eckert, Kokomo Tribune
Pay it forward. Three words passionately and repeatedly stated by U.S. Army Spc. Anthony Walton and the family of Marine Lance Cpl. Zach Nelson at Saturday’s Help Hometown Heroes Rebuild concert featuring country-recording artist Jackson Young, a fundraiser to build homes for Walton and Nelson specifically designed for their injuries. Although the focus for the concert was on honoring Walton, Nelson and their families, the honorees expanded their focus towards how they can honor and give back to their community.
“[After Zach was injured] and we saw how quickly the community jumped in and started doing everything, it was overwhelming,” said Gayle Sherman, Nelson’s aunt. “The people of this community are a blessing and it’s our job as Zach’s family to start paying it forward.”
Nelson, who turned 21 in a German hospital after being paralyzed from the neck down in a Humvee accident, has been undergoing therapy in a rehabilitation center in Florida and will be released at the end of the month once he re-learns to drive. Nelson will continue his enlistment at a wounded warrior’s unit in North Carolina before returning to Kokomo and his new home, which will undergo construction at a later date.
Nelson’s aunt also said the experience of seeing hundreds of men and women changed for life at Walter Reed Army Medical Center was a humbling experience and coming home to a city that sympathizes for what is lost at war is a constant reminder to give back.
“Kokomo rallies around its veterans because it’s a small town and a community that realizes what a sacrifice they make for us so we can do things like this [concert],” Sherman, who recently joined Asphalt Templars to expand her efforts of paying it forward, said. “Some don’t come back, some come back hurt, but none ever come back the same.”
