US Navy Corpsman Todd Fortwangler
Hero Story
United States Navy Corpsman Todd Fortwangler joined the military in 2008 because it was his lifelong dream to serve the country that he loves.
During his service, Corpsmen Fortwangler suffered an acute traumatic onset of Guillen Barre Syndrome, a rare disorder in which your body’s immune system attacks your nerves. The disease left him temporarily paralyzed until he began his rehabilitation.
He also suffers from PTSD, dissociative identity disorder, seizures, depression and back and lower extremity pain.
Corpsman Fortwangler, his wife Tara, and their three children.
The years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq have brought PTSD among military personnel to the attention of the American people like never before. Blast waves from explosions rattle the brain and can cause traumatic brain injuries which are often linked to PTSD. Most PTSD sufferers repeatedly relive the trauma in their thoughts during the day and in nightmares when they sleep. While the condition varies from person to person, more and more studies have linked PTSD with chronic depression and suicidal ideation.
For his service to his country, Corpsman Fortwangler was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Medal.
Corpsman Fortwangler, his wife, Tara, and their three children will receive a mortgage-free home in Wesley Chapel, Florida from Building Homes for Heroes and their partners.
Watch The Ceremony
Pfister in The Home
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As part of Pfister’s participation in multiple projects in Florida with Building Homes for Heroes, the non-profit’s directors selected several kitchen and bath products aligned with the future homeowners’ tastes.
For the kitchen, the team selected our Pfirst Series Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet in Stainless Steel with three spray functions and a 360-degree swivel spout for maximum maneuverability. The downstairs powder bath features a Weller Centerset Bath Faucet in Polished Chrome to add some sophisticated shine.
The master bathroom showcases his and her sinks and matching Saxton Widespread Bath Faucets, while the kids’ bath sports a Pfirst Series Centerset Bath Faucet in Tuscan Bronze.
Building Homes for Heroes® is a national non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2006.
Building Homes for Heroes® is strongly committed to rebuilding lives and supporting the brave men and women who were injured while serving the country during the time of the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. The organization builds or modifies homes, and gifts them, mortgage-free, to veterans and their families. It’s our honor to support the men and women who have loyally and courageously served our country.
Organizational Statement
Since 2006, Building Homes for Heroes® has been at the forefront of making a significant difference in the lives of wounded American service members and their families. The organization gifts mortgage-free homes that meet the needs of the men and women who have selflessly served our country. These homes not only help to remove the family’s financial burden, they help to restore the individual’s freedom, and enable the veteran to lead a more independent and productive civilian life.
Organizational efficiency and sound fiscal responsibility are of utmost importance at Building Homes for Heroes®; neither the CEO nor its board members are compensated for their duties. The organization strives to keep fundraising and administrative costs at a minimum, thus only a small percentage of funds are allocated to overhead costs. Based on fiscal year audited financial statements ending December 31, 2015, the organization had a program service percentage of 93.8%. The organization gifted 17 homes in 2013, 23 homes in 2014, 28 in 2015, 29 in 2016, and has the high hopes of gifting as many as 33 homes in 2017, equal to one home every 11 days.
To further assist veterans, the organization has added programs, including financial planning services, family funding, and emergency support. Each home recipient is provided with a financial planning representative. This program is designed to provide the new, and sometimes first-time, homeowners with advice and guidance needed to maintain home expenses and to plan for a successful future.
Building Homes for Heroes® encourages the wounded veterans we have assisted, or are currently assisting, to travel to our events and take part in other organizational endeavors to support other men and women who have been severely injured. The organization believes that this enables our recipients to build camaraderie with other wounded veterans who may later become recipients, but also to take another step toward being defined by their accomplishments and activities, and not their injuries or disabilities.
