FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – A Marine Corps veteran and his family are now putting down roots in Fernandina Beach.
In November, Sgt. Bradley Thomas and his family were surprised with keys to a brand new, mortgage-free and fully furnished home on Veteran’s Day.
They couldn’t be happier.
It’s was all thanks to Maxwell House, which worked in partnership with Operation Finally Home.
“We couldn’t think of a better recipient,” said Rusty Carroll, the executive director of Operation Finally Home.
Thomas, a decorated veteran, has overcome several hardships while transitioning from military to civilian life. He medically retired from service four years after being injured by a roadside bomb in 2011.
Thomas struggled for years from spinal cord injuries and back problems. That, coupled with post traumatic stress made employment difficult to find.
Then, a military nonprofit helped him land a job, and he found a new purpose.
He’s dedicated his life to giving back to his fellow veterans and family. He’s even started his own nonprofit with the sole mission of helping veterans through fishing charters and guided hunts.
“That fills a need for me,” Thomas said. “It makes me know that that path that I had to go through, that journey, wasn’t wasted.”