JIM WELLS COUNTY — Nestled in the mesquite trees of rural Jim Wells County is a new custom home, specially built to the meet the needs of U.S. Marine Corps veteran Justin Rokohl.
Rokohl served in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008. Rokohl lost both his legs after he and fellow Marines were struck by an improvised explosive device. Rokohl’s best friend, Pfc. Colton Rusk, was killed in action in Afghanistan when he was only 20.
Rokohl and his wife operate an archery shop and run a nonprofit, Darkhorse Archery Veteran Foundation, in honor of Rusk. They introduce veterans and youth to archery, distribute compound bows to veterans each year and share Rusk’s story.
A couple of years ago, a friend nominated Rokohl to Helping a Hero, which builds homes for wounded veterans. On March 23, the organization held a celebration to honor Rokohl and welcome him to the newly completed house. Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham spoke at the event, and musician Chris Janson performed with his 12-year-old son, Jesse.
Helping a Hero founder Meredith Iler said that the idea for the program began when her Rotary Club in Houston was asked to help with a house for a wounded veteran. The Rotary Club did two homes. With a third project to renovate a home with “Extreme Home Makeover,” it became clear that there was a huge need, Iler said.
Helping a Hero was formed. It built 10 houses in Houston and kept branching out.
How the homes accommodate wounded veterans’ needs
Several veterans who have received home builds or renovations through the organization, including J.P. Lane and Shilo Harris, told the Caller-Times that the improvements impacted their daily lives.
Moving through his own house was work, Lane said. Now, he can relax and recover at home.
“The difference that it made in my life is that when I would go home, I didn’t have to worry about how to wheelchair through a doorway or crawl through a doorway,” Lane said.
Special features in homes built by Helping a Hero include wide doorways and hallways to fit wheelchairs, roll-in showers, roll-under sinks and safety features. For burn victims, a house can be designed with special air filtration and air conditioning systems.
Fellow veteran Sebastian Gallegos, who previously received a home through Helping a Hero, said his home saves him hours each day.
Gallegos praised not only Helping a Hero’s contributions to veterans, but also Rokohl’s through Darkhorse Archery Veteran Foundation. Rokohl once offered to build Gallegos a prosthetic arm, he said.
For Rokohl’s home, the organization worked with a variety of donors and vendors, including Shayne Schroeder Custom Homes, Childress Racing and Bass Pro Shops, though the list of supporters included in the welcome home event’s program is much longer. The house was even outfitted with new furniture, courtesy of donor Ashley Furniture.
Of course, not every furnishing in the house was new — Rokohl’s hunting trophies were mounted on the walls of his new living room.
Rokohl and his wife, Carrie, toured the house during the event, welcoming attendees into their new home.
She said that the new house is a dream.
“It’s going to make life easier for him,” she said.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Orange Grove veteran receives new custom home from nonprofit
Reporting by Olivia Garrett, Corpus Christi Caller Times / Corpus Christi Caller Times
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