I was recently at a going away party for the son of some friends of mine who's son was recently deployed. During that party, another life changing thing happened.

Team Home Depot has announced a project to help a local Veteran and I am honored to have had a small hand in this noble effort along with a former co-worker and good friend, Marla Stone.

It was while I was at a going away party for Ryan Bourassa who was deployed this past October via the United States Army, that I met his Grandfather, Bob Walter. Bob is with the American Legion and has helped many Veterans himself. I mentioned to him that if I could ever help him out to let me know. Well, as irony would have it, my good friend Marla Stone, contacted me that very night about her Loveland Home Depot wanting to help a local Veteran so I put the two of them in touch and "Operation Keep Mike Home" was born.

Michael George Fay, of Greeley, is a 78 year old Veteran of the Air National Guard serving from 1955 to 1963, retiring with the rank of Staff Sargent. SSgt Fay was diagnosed with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a Parkinsonian-Plus-Syndrome 3 years ago. The disease has left him completely paralyzed and unable to speak or eat with his full mental faculties in place.

SSgt Michael Fay was recently brought home from a two-and-a-half year stint in a nursing home that devoured over $250K of his savings and the equity in his home. He is currently living in his home of 43 years, with the help of his daughter Patti, with no ramp to get him safely in and out of his house, so the Loveland Home Depot will be providing all the materials and man-power to build him a wheelchair ramp.

Team Home Depot will be taking care of this problem on 18 and 19 November, weather permitting. Volunteers from the Loveland Home Depot will be building this local hero a brand new ramp to allow him to be able to get outside to enjoy the outdoors, which has always been extremely important to him. More importantly, it will allow him to be able to go to his doctor's appointments and other places he needs to go. Most specifically, this ramp will allow him to continue to live in his home for the remainder of his life, as he has no desire to live in a nursing facility again.
This ramp equates to FREEDOM for Mike, the freedom to come and go from his house, as well, as the ability to live in the place he loves and has called home since 1971.

Since 2011, Team Home Depot has invested more than $80 million to help local Veterans all across our great country. They have made lives of over 13,000 military members a little easier around their home by donating all material and volunteers. For more information on Team Home Depot please click on the link below.

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