As a fellow veteran and father, I'm here to represent Scott, my son-in-law, a disabled combat veteran and dad. He and his wife, my daughter Elizabeth, and their children have moved into a home built to meet Scott's accessibility needs. Unfortunately, money that was to be used to complete the exterior areas for accessibility through military retired back pay was reduced and they were unable to finish the project. In addition, his service dog passed unexpectedly and now a replacement must be located and trained to replace this vital help in his daily life.

A father at the edge of his own yard

Most afternoons, Scott wheels to the threshold, watches his kids race across the uneven front slope, and stops. The ground drops toward a drainage ditch. The recycled asphalt crumbles under his prosthetic. Past the small patio, the terrain tilts and ruts. There is no safe way to circle the house, no way to step into the yard without risking a fall. Inside, he is strong. Outside, he is trapped.

This is not just about money. It is about dignity, safety, and giving a disabled veteran the freedom to be present with his family.

Who Scott is and what he gave.

Scott joined the Army National Guard at 17. After 9/11 he was activated, then deployed to Iraq in 2003. A sniper round struck his back and a steel plate saved his life. Weeks later a mortar attack tore into his left knee, perforated his left eardrum, and threw him hard enough to cause a traumatic brain injury. That summer he earned the Bronze Star by slipping behind a sniper and ending the fire that had pinned down his unit. He was stabbed clearing a building. He suffered a second head injury when a Humvee hit a hole and he slammed the turret. He watched a brother die on December 24, then came home in 2004 carrying wounds seen and unseen.

Back stateside, Scott begged for care. He was initially turned away until his father got military police to escort him to sick call. Doctors found a cholesteatoma growing from the torn eardrum toward his brain, close enough that they warned he was within months of losing his life. Multiple surgeries saved him but left him completely deaf in his left ear and with partial facial nerve loss. A bone-anchored hearing implant was tried, then infected again and again for years. He attempted suicide in 2005, then fought back. In 2007, a surgery that was supposed to scope shrapnel damage ended with an unconsented patellectomy. He was denied physical therapy and handed a cane too short for his 6 foot 7 frame. He bought his own and kept moving.

For years he battled pain, infections, denials, and mounting bills while he and his wife built a life. In 2019, after a nerve study showed destroyed pathways and a failed ablation made things worse, Scott chose an above-knee amputation of the left leg to end sixteen years of constant pain. He woke up and, for the first time in years, his pain dropped below a 4. He learned to walk again with a prosthetic, started therapy, and kept showing up for his family.

How the system failed him, and why help is urgent now.

In 2023, the family moved to Texas to build a modest, wheelchair-accessible home. Paperwork showed roughly $248,000 in medical retirement back pay across seventeen years, but because of caps he received $19,000 and about $38 a month after fees. The Richard Star Act, backed by Wounded Warriors, failed to be passed by the House which would rectify the shortage for not only Scott but 53,000 other Veterans. As a result of the cap and sacrifices his wife made career wise to care for him, the exterior work to make the home truly accessible was stripped from the budget. They kept going. His father-in-law and his wife put in evenings and weekends to finish the interior themselves. They finally moved in during May 2025 and for the first time in 6 years, he showered in the primary bathroom.

Then it got harder. In July 2025, Scott fell and ended up in the ER. The claim was denied because a follow-up call did not happen within 48 hours. On August 1, 2025, his service dog died unexpectedly. Scott was hospitalized on suicide watch from grief, then returned to outpatient therapy while the VA reassigned providers. He adopted a rescue puppy in September to begin the long 18 month path toward a new service dog because waitlists stretch one and a half to two years. Through it all, he keeps showing up. He wants what any dad wants: to be outside with his kids, to fish the two neighborhood ponds that quiet his mind, to feel safe on his own land.

“I am not done. I want to be outside with my kids. I want to fish again. A safe yard and the right support would change my daily life.”

What your gift makes possible right away.

The house is livable. The outside is not. Without your help, storms will keep eating at the pad, the driveway will keep trapping his chair and prosthetic, and Scott will keep watching from the threshold. With your help, we can finish the work a builder would have done if the budget had not collapsed.

Protect the home from washouts and collapse.

Retaining wall, $30,000. The back corner of the pad sits on a 4 foot rise. The wall keeps the foundation from eroding during Texas downpours. This is the difference between a stable home and a costly failure.

Drainage ditch, $12,000. Water needs a safe path away from the house and retaining wall. Proper drainage prevents sink spots that can flip a wheelchair or catch a prosthetic foot. These two items are preventative measures that should have been installed during construction. Funds ran out.

Create safe, continuous outdoor access.

Six foot graded buffer around the home, $30,000. Right now, Scott can go from the car to the front entry, or onto a small rear patio, and that is all. A smooth six foot ring lets him move around the house, supervise play, and practice mobility every day.

Culvert expansion and front yard leveling, $30,000. The front corner drops toward a ditch. Leveling creates a flat play area where his kids and future service dog can be safe. The back will always rise to woods. The front must be usable.

Driveway apron extension and surfacing, $35,000. Half the driveway is recycled asphalt that crumbles and grabs a prosthetic foot. A stable apron is how he transfers safely, gets to appointments, and lives without daily risk.

Restore mobility and connection.

All-terrain electric cart, $15,000. Scott is tall and transfers are hard. A higher clearance cart he can step into will open the neighborhood, from family walks to the two fishing ponds that help him reset. On uneven ground, this is the safest way to give him back range and joy.

Subtotal: $152,000

Service dog replacement and training, $15,000 to $20,000. His dog died August 1, 2025. A trained partner means safety in public, emotional regulation, and independence at home. We are targeting a $170,000 goal to cover construction essentials plus expected training costs.

Why this matters.

Scott is an above-knee amputee with multiple TBIs, nerve damage, and a history of blood clots. Every ungraded rut is a fall. Every missed day of safe practice is lost strength. Without outdoor access, he loses therapy days and memories with his kids. A secure yard, a stable driveway, and a trained service dog are not luxuries. They are how he stays alive, connected, and moving forward.

Our promise to you

We will post competitive bids and invoices. We will share progress photos and short videos as each stage is completed. Funds will be used only for the line items above and the service dog training. If prices shift, we will update the budget before spending. If a small surplus remains, it goes first to physical therapy and prosthetic maintenance, then to accessibility upkeep, and we will explain the allocation clearly.

How you can help right now

Give what you can. Every dollar turns dirt into access and risk into safety. If you cannot donate, please share this page with two friends. Your share might be the one that funds the next yard milestone. Leave a note for Scott if you can. On hard days, your words carry him.

Micro-Impact of Your Gift

$25 helps cover a therapy co-pay when schedules or referrals slip.

$50 helps grade and compact about 1 square foot of safe access.

$120 helps add about 1 linear foot of drainage ditch.

$300 helps purchase and spread about 1 cubic yard of base material for the driveway apron.

$1,000 moves us roughly 3 percent of the way to the retaining wall.

(Figures will be updated after contractor bids so they stay accurate.)

Scott stood up for his unit under fire. He keeps standing up for his family. Thank you for standing with him now.