Repairs and Modifications Allow Veteran to Maintain Independence and Safely Care for Son

Over the past year, Rebuilding Together and Lockheed Martin partnered on a national scale, making no-cost home repairs, accessibility modifications and improvements in communities across the country. One of those 14 projects involved a veteran who has lived in his Austell, Georgia, home for more than 50 years. 

Ken has mobility challenges due to injuries sustained while serving in the U.S. Navy. He flew in experimental planes during test flights. During one flight, the plane exploded, causing serious injuries that affect him to this day. He uses two walking canes, and the steps to his home make it treacherous to enter and exit. Soon, he will need a wheelchair, which requires a ramp to enter this home. "I cannot imagine living anyplace else,” explained Ken. “Without a ramp, there is no way that I could remain in my home or be able to take care of my son.”

Ken’s son, who lives with him, is bedridden due to medical conditions. He requires an ambulance to get to doctors’ appointments. A ramp will make it easier to take him from the house to the ambulance and back. 

For years, Ken handled home improvements, but the toll of his injuries caught up with him and he could no longer manage or afford essential repairs and modifications. Last spring, nearly two dozen Lockheed Martin volunteers joined Rebuilding Together Atlanta to make improvements to Ken’s home, from cleaning the yard and exterior painting to removing trip hazards and installing a ramp. 

Now, the house is free of trip hazards. The new ramp allows Ken to enter and leave his home without fear of falling on the steps and it makes transporting his son to medical appointments safer. The new paint for the deck provides better protection from the elements. 

The repairs and modifications allow Ken to age-in-place, stay in his community and continue to care for his son at home. “Each person here today has made my dreams come true,” said Ken.