Carpenters give GI a hero's welcome.A GI who lost his legs in a bomb blast in Iraq returned home to a hero's welcome and a house adapted to suit his needs. The town of Holbrook turned out along with the NYC Union of Carpenters & Contractors and the Holbrook Fire Department to cheer Corporal Christopher Levi, 25, as he returned to Long Island after almost a year recovering from his injuries at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC. Following her son's devastating injuries, Debbie Levi and her husband Eric sent out hundreds of letters asking for help adapting the couple's home to accommodate Chris, who now has two prosthetic legs and sometimes has to use a motorized wheelchair. When he received one of the letters, Mike Barhold, a Commissioner at the Holbrook Fire Department and union carpenter, immediately contacted his fellow union brothers for their help. Work began in November of 2008 on renovating the house to include wider hallways, lowered countertops, better electric and air conditioning functions, and even new landscaping, siding and a concrete ramp for wheelchair access. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I am proud to be part of such a strong, supportive group," said Barhold. "I was amazed to hear that, without a second thought, 13 union carpenters immediately agreed to get involved out of the goodness of their hearts. It's truly inspirational. It is these men who will make it possible for Corporal Levi to come home and lead a somewhat normal life again." |
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