Testimonials
Greetings Friends and Partners of Homes Fit For Heroes,
My name is John Arroyo. My wife Angel and I want to thank you for your partnership to care for our nation’s most prized possessions, Special Operations Soldiers, and their families. Let me share a secret with you but please keep it between us! The Raia family are not the source and heartbeat of this partnership, YOU ARE! Without you the mission fails. The Raia’s have done the heavy lifting by structuring and organizing this phenomenal outreach, so you are not burdened with paperwork and legalities. I know what you are thinking, “John, Homes Fit For Heroes will be fine without me.” That is not true. Many are uninformed that each partner is vital.
Our Special Operations Soldiers are deployed around the world executing missions that will never make the 5 PM nightly news. That means when one of those secret Soldiers is injured no one knows. Additionally, the needs for that Soldier and his family are known by a select few – you are one of those because of this partnership. You have the privilege of operating in a covert mission – by supporting the secret Soldiers or the unspoken ones.
Six years ago, my wife and I found ourselves in such despair that nearly all hope was lost. I was shot in the throat at the second mass shooting on Fort Hood military base in Killeen, Texas. Prior to me being shot, only six months, both my in-laws died nine days apart. Even worse, my wife’s younger brother died in a hunting accident two years before my in-laws. Our lives were shaken and all order was lost. We stopped making plans and focused on the moments we had. Thinking about tomorrow was too painful. We anchored on our faith which became our foundation. Unfortunately, it was determined I was no longer fit for duty. Instantly the fears and anxieties returned. How would I care for my family as a disabled veteran and what will happen during my transition from the military? My wife looked to me for answers because she had no one else, everyone else was gone. Sadly, I had no answer to give her. Then you came to our rescue! Yes, you! Through Homes Fit For Heroes you secured an apartment for us and walked alongside us through our transition. Because you were there and provided our hope was restored. My manhood was restored, as well, I could once again look at my wife and say, “We are going to be okay!”
You might not know me, but I know you! Thank you for saving my family when we needed you most. Please do not stop your support with me, others need you.
Your Friend,
I AM GRATEFUL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT TO OUR SOF WOUNDED WARRIORS AND FAMILIES. YOUR ABILITY AND WILLINGNESS TO USE YOUR EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF RENTAL COMMUNITIES TO FIND SUITABLE LODGING SOLUTIONS FOR FAMILIES, WHILE THEIR SERVICE MEMBER UNDERGOES MEDICAL PROCEDURES, IS TO BE COMMENDED
Homes Fit For Heroes (HFFH) is and was the biggest blessing while undergoing amputation/revision surgeries and recovering from them. Had it not been for their generosity we would not have been able to be a family during my lengthy recovery process. HFFH provided peace of mind and comfort to my family and me during one of our darkest hours. There are not enough words to express our gratitude for the apartments we were provided at Walter Reed and Brooke Army Medical Center while I recovered and moved on to rehabiliation. HFFH is now part of our family. We have truly been blessed beyond measure and cannot thank them enough for their continued generosity and friendship they have provided us over the years. Thank you!!
I am sincerely grateful to Homes Fit for Heroes for your generous support to my family during our desperate time of need. I was injured in Afghanistan in 2015, by an IED blast. After my initial treatment at Walter Reed, I was transferred to the Center for Intrepid (CFI) at Brook Army Medical Center, San Antonio. Homes Fit for Heroes provided my wife and me with a furnished, adaptive apartment five minutes from the base. This apartment allowed us to put 100% of our focus on rehab and learning how to walk again. The most important aspect of living in the Homes Fit for Heroes apartment was live in and among the community. Not only did this teach me independence, but it allowed me to practice, in the “real world,” all the physical and occupational therapy techniques I was learning at the CFI. It also provided us with a much-needed sense of normalcy during a time when our world was turned upside-down. Thank you for all the love and support you provided me and my family, and especially, thank you for the support you provide to our fellow service members and veterans. Keep up the great work!
I WANT ANYONE THAT READS THIS TO KNOW THAT MR. SAMUEL A. RAIA AND THE RAIA FAMILY SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AS AMERICANS THAT NEED TO BE WRITTEN ABOUT, AMERICANS THAT ARE NOT ORDINARY, ‘GREAT AMERICANS’. I WILL FOREVER THANK THEM FOR THE KIND HAND THAT THEY HAVE EXTENDED TOWARDS MY FAMILY AS WELL AS THE NUMEROUS OTHER SPECIAL OPERATIONS FAMILIES THAT THEY HAVE ASSISTED.