Jonathon Blank was a Marine who served his nation in Afghanistan. While there, he was severely injured and lost both of his legs as a result of his service.
Jonathon, who was just 32 years old, was about to embark on a difficult and lengthy path to rehabilitation, which was not going to be simple by any stretch of the imagination. The mental toll was quite high, and to add insult to injury, the financial burden imposed by the necessary medical treatment and rehabilitation was enormous.
Gary Sinise, the well-known actor who played Forrest Gump, got in touch with Jonathon wanting to offer his assistance, which was a blessing for the valiant marine. Gary Sinise is well-known for his compassion, generosity, and charity, and the Gary Sinise Foundation wanted to assist relieve some of Jonathon’s responsibilities in order to honor Gary’s legacy.
Jonathon was informed by the Gary Sinise Foundation that they would want to construct a bespoke house for him and give it to him as a present.
When Jonathon found out about the news, he immediately went to a nearby television station and said that this incredible gift has made the “next part of life much simpler.”
He went on to say, “It’s such a great gift,” after that. When those tough men found out about it, even some of them became quite upset about it. “Even some of those tough guys got emotional about it.”
When Jonathon first joined the Marine Corps in 2006, shortly after receiving his high school diploma, he embarked on his quest. Four years later, he would serve his country in Afghanistan and be involved in an explosion that would cause him to lose both of his legs in addition to causing shrapnel damage to his head and arms.
Even up to this day, Jonathon continues to have chronic pain, sleeplessness, migraines, and a host of other symptoms.
He made the statement that “the world is not designed for persons with impairments.” “It’s simply an inconvenient fact, and ever since I was hurt, it’s something that I’ve had to deal with on a daily basis,” she said.
Sinise portrays a crippled vet Through the Gary Sinise Foundation, the character of Lieutenant Dan from Forrest Gump has already constructed approximately 60 houses for injured warriors. The houses are built by Jorgenson Builders from the foundation up, and they are quite excited about the opportunity to work on Jonathon’s custom-build project.
According to what Jorgenson had to say, “We really need to be thinking about how they are going to reach each of the floors of the home.”
His brand-new, custom-built house will be totally energy-efficient, include light fixtures and blinds that can be controlled by remote, and have technology that can be triggered by voice throughout the house, particularly in the kitchen.
Jonathon’s fiancée, Brittney Harris, is overjoyed to see the positive changes the new house has brought about in his life.
She stated that he was always dragging and carrying all of his belongings up and down the stairs. “He’s always doing it,” she said. “Nothing can slow him down, but just to envision cupboards that he can pull down and reach rather than having to leap up there — it’s going to make such a great difference for him,” we were told. “Just to think.”
He and his girlfriend currently live in a three-bedroom home, and even though the topography of where they live will most likely require them to build a home with multiple levels, Jorgeson is going to make it a point to install a lift so that it is simple for Jonathon to move between the different levels of their future home. Jonathon has made it a priority to participate in the design of the house in whatever capacity is available to him.
He added, “Honest to God, I didn’t really realize that I would be so involved with the design and the layout of the building,” which translates to “I didn’t really know that I would be that engaged.”
We are hoping that the home will offer Jonathon and his fiancée a great deal of happiness, and we are really thankful to the Gary Sinise Foundation for the kind gift that it has given them.
