Sam Matthews & Alan Armer
Michael Martin, Thaddeus Allen & Jeff Gilmain
Shad Newton with Spitfi re
Capt. Nathan Nelson
O
n December 16, Retired Air Force Captain Nathan
Nelson and his family were welcomed into their new
mortgage-free home in Santa Rosa Beach by a crowd of
supporters and well-wishers. The captain drove up in his
custom built mini van with his family in a convoy led by the Patriot
Guard Riders.
Nelson was almost killed when a rocket-propelled grenade hit his
base in Afghanistan in September 2013, where he took the brunt of the
blast and suffered shrapnel in his back, a spinal-cord injury, collapsed
lungs, and signifi cant blood loss. He endured nine surgeries and was
awarded the Purple Heart for his service.
Nelson’s new home was made possible by Building Homes for
Heroes, a national non-profi t, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization
founded in 2006. Building Homes for Heroes is strongly committed to
rebuilding lives and supporting the brave men and women who were
injured while serving the country during the time of the wars in Iraq
or Afghanistan. The organization builds or modifi es homes, and gifts
them, mortgage-free, to veterans and their families.
Andy Pujol, the CEO and founder of Homes for Heroes expressed
his gratitude to Capt. Nelson for his service and stated, ”This is just
a small token of our appreciation for your sacrifi ce.” Other statesmen
who attended this all-important and heart warming event were
Representatives Matt Gaetz and Mel Ponder, who also spoke and
expressed their gratitudes to Homes for Heroes and most importantly
to Captain Nelson for his service and sacrifi ce.
photos & story by
Zhalman Harris
Larry & Beverly Sassano
VIP Destin at Santa Rosa Beach
90 | VIPDestinMagazine.com
XX-XX Event_Purple Heart.indd 1
12/27/17 9:38 AM