Homes For Our Troops, a nonprofit that builds accessible houses for wounded veterans, is dedicating their first project in Kerrville to Sergeant Christopher Leverkuhn.
Celebrating the current construction of the new home, the organization threw a Community Kickoff at the Hill Country Veterans Center on Oct. 26. The event began with a motorcycle escort, followed by speakers from Homes For Troops, and a catered lunch with the Leverkuhn family.
In January 2004, while deployed in Iraq as a petroleum supply specialist, Army Sergeant Christopher Leverkuhn’s vehicle hit an improvised explosive device.
The blast resulted in the loss of his right leg, severe burns, and a traumatic brain injury.
Once he returned to the United States, Sergeant Leverkuhn underwent rigorous physical therapy, relearning to walk with a new prosthetic. Originally from Indiana, Leverkuhn eventually found his way to Kerrville by meeting his wife, Brooke Leverkuhn.
The couple and their four children live in Kerrville, currently in a home with a steep incline in the front yard.
“Our driveway is steep and everything outside is uneven. It worries me that Chris doesn’t have complete freedom outside. Mowing the side of the hill is pretty difficult and he refuses to let anyone else do it,” said Brooke Leverkuhn.
Despite sustaining a life-altering injury, Sergeant Christopher Leverkuhn refuses to let it get in the way of living.
“I think my wife cringes everytime she watches me mow, but I won’t let them do it either. Just because this happened to me doesn’t mean my life stopped, I just have to do things differently. I usually always have to go back in a few times or pop the leg off and try again,” said Sergeant Leverkuhn.
However, with his family of four young children in mind, Sergeant Leverkuhn applied to Homes For Our Troops to take a few obstacles out of the way of fatherhood.
“It’s hard for me to do anything like this for myself. I signed up for my family. I want to still be chasing after my kids when they are grown up. This home will hopefully let me get a little more longevity out of my legs,” said Sergeant Leverkuhn.
Since its creation in 2004, Homes For Our Troops has constructed over 370 custom adapted houses for severely injured veterans across the United States. The specially adapted homes include updates that make everyday life easier for those who use prosthetics or wheelchairs. Features include wider hallways and doors, roll-in showers, roll-under counters, as well as many others.
Homes For Our Troops finances the construction of homes through public funding, with 65 percent of funding coming from individual and community donors. The Hill Country community has already stepped up to support veterans like Sergeant Leverkuhn, evident in the $6,000 donation presented to Homes For Our Troops from the Seguin Chapter of the Brothers-In-Arms Motorcycle Club.
To dive deeper into Sergeant Christopher Leverkuhn’s story and learn more about Homes For Our Troops’ efforts, visit their website at www.hfotusa.org.