November 11, 2012 [WEWS]
SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – The Veteran’s Day weekend marked an Ohio first. The City of South Euclid, and the Cuyahoga Land Bank, launched an effort to provide a home for a combat wounded Iraq Army War Veteran, through Purple Heart Homes.
The house will be issued to Veteran Demond Taylor, who served with the 82nd Airborne from Sept. 2001 to July 2005.
Taylor is among nearly 211,000 veterans, who returned home with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Taylor suffers from depression, short term memory loss, and constant headaches.
Renovations on the South Euclid home are expected to be completed in April, with Taylor and his wife moving into the home just a few days later.
The Cuyahoga Land Bank provide the vacant house, and brought it to the attention of South Euclid city leaders.
Taylor fought back the tears as he accepted the home in front a large crowd gathered in the South Euclid neighborhood.
“It all happened at once, it was almost too much,” said Taylor. “It was almost too much to bear, I hadn’t been happy in a long time, and that’s what everyone is doing for me here.”
Purple Heart Homes founder John Gallina is honored to be able to work with the Cuyahoga Land Bank, and finally bring a project to Ohio.
“Purple Heart Homes was formed to help our brothers and sisters that need a hand-up, not a hand-out,” said Gallina.
The property will take about $70,000 to renovate, and the City of South Euclid is looking for tax deductible donations, and volunteer labor to make the project a reality.
Donations can be be made through a website set up by the city.
“My heart goes out to all the soldiers who are serving, the ones still in action,” said Taylor. “Remember all of our Veterans, and our fallen heroes, that we honor you, we love you, we miss you all.”