thedrifter
12-02-08, 07:00 AM
New site found for paralyzed Iraq vet's home
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Last updated: Tuesday December 2, 2008, EST 6:25 AM
BY DEENA YELLIN
STAFF WRITER
HILLSDALE — A project to build a home for a paralyzed Iraq War veteran is back on track after a new site has been located in the borough.
This is the second attempt by the non-profit group Homes for Our Troops to construct a wheelchair-accessible home for Marine Cpl. Visnu Gonzalez, who was wounded when a sniper's bullet shot him down in 2004.
A tract of land on Eagle Avenue in New Milford was found to be unusable last year after the organization had paid $255,000 for the property and broke ground. John Gonsalves, founder and president of the Massachusetts-based nonprofit that constructs specially adapted homes for severely wounded soldiers, said debris was found buried in the dirt — making it impossible to build at that site.
"Somebody dumped fill in there," he said. "There was asphalt and debris in the ground and nothing can be built there. That set us back quite a bit."
Gonsalves said the group may need to sue to recoup the costs.
"We are trying to find out who put the fill there. Permits were issued on the land even though that was there," he said. "We feel we were taken advantage of. It's a mess. We will sue if we have to. We wonder who knew what, whether the owner, town or DEP [state Department of Environmental Protection] were aware of it. We are going to take legal action and get our money back."
Meanwhile, 26-year-old Gonzalez and his family are still waiting for a place to call home.
"It has been a slow process to the point that we lost hope," said Maria Baez, Gonzalez's mother.
Baez said she is trying to keep her son busy so he does not get depressed. He has been in rehabilitation programs to improve his skills, and the two have been staying with relatives.
"It is difficult for us to crash in somebody's home with all the needs that Visnu has," Baez said.
Homes for Our Troops bought an empty plot on Cross Street in Hillsdale from former Mayor Timothy O'Reilly in July for $277,000. O'Reilly owned a double lot and subdivided it with the intention of building a home there. He lowered the original asking price of $339,000 when Homes for Our Troops expressed interest.
"It was a great opportunity to resolve that problem and help them out," he said. "My wife, [Karen] is a kindergarten teacher, and she has his cousin in her class. So, we were aware of the family."
O'Reilly said the project is a good thing for the town and for Gonzalez.
"Everybody can open up their hearts and help out a bit," O'Reilly said. "It's a nice welcome to the community."
The organization has been in touch with the town about their plans but has not yet applied for any building permits, said Hillsdale Mayor John Sapanara.
The group has said it will file the necessary applications in the coming weeks.
"Unfortunately, we have to start from scratch again," Gonsalves said. "But we hope to start construction as soon as we can."
Sapanara hopes the family will be settled soon.
"I hope we can get him a home that he likes and that will be appropriate for his needs. His family is in Hillsdale and that will be good for him and for his family," he said.
A quiet boy who loved sports and computers, Gonzalez grew up in the Dominican Republic hearing stories about his grandfather and uncles who served in the military. He dreamed of serving in the U.S. Army. After graduating from high school with honors in 2001, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines because, he said, "They are the most elite."
He signed up on Sept. 10, 2001. A day later, the Twin Towers fell. Gonzalez was in the first unit sent to Iraq. After what happened on Sept. 11, he wanted to do something, he said.
In April 2004, his unit was clearing out homes in battle-torn Fallujah when snipers attacked. Gonzalez was shot in the neck, severing his spinal cord. His recovery, including three years of rehab and treatment in a VA hospital was difficult. He remained paralyzed from the chest down.
With most of his relatives living in New Jersey, Gonzalez decided he wanted to live close to family and near high-quality medical care. Baez contacted various organizations to obtain help for her son. Finally, Homes for Our Troops offered to build a home for him at no cost.
Baez said she and her son are praying that the Hillsdale home will work out. "We have been a bit disheartened," she said. "But we are trying to be hopeful."
Ellie
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Last updated: Tuesday December 2, 2008, EST 6:25 AM
BY DEENA YELLIN
STAFF WRITER
HILLSDALE — A project to build a home for a paralyzed Iraq War veteran is back on track after a new site has been located in the borough.
This is the second attempt by the non-profit group Homes for Our Troops to construct a wheelchair-accessible home for Marine Cpl. Visnu Gonzalez, who was wounded when a sniper's bullet shot him down in 2004.
A tract of land on Eagle Avenue in New Milford was found to be unusable last year after the organization had paid $255,000 for the property and broke ground. John Gonsalves, founder and president of the Massachusetts-based nonprofit that constructs specially adapted homes for severely wounded soldiers, said debris was found buried in the dirt — making it impossible to build at that site.
"Somebody dumped fill in there," he said. "There was asphalt and debris in the ground and nothing can be built there. That set us back quite a bit."
Gonsalves said the group may need to sue to recoup the costs.
"We are trying to find out who put the fill there. Permits were issued on the land even though that was there," he said. "We feel we were taken advantage of. It's a mess. We will sue if we have to. We wonder who knew what, whether the owner, town or DEP [state Department of Environmental Protection] were aware of it. We are going to take legal action and get our money back."
Meanwhile, 26-year-old Gonzalez and his family are still waiting for a place to call home.
"It has been a slow process to the point that we lost hope," said Maria Baez, Gonzalez's mother.
Baez said she is trying to keep her son busy so he does not get depressed. He has been in rehabilitation programs to improve his skills, and the two have been staying with relatives.
"It is difficult for us to crash in somebody's home with all the needs that Visnu has," Baez said.
Homes for Our Troops bought an empty plot on Cross Street in Hillsdale from former Mayor Timothy O'Reilly in July for $277,000. O'Reilly owned a double lot and subdivided it with the intention of building a home there. He lowered the original asking price of $339,000 when Homes for Our Troops expressed interest.
"It was a great opportunity to resolve that problem and help them out," he said. "My wife, [Karen] is a kindergarten teacher, and she has his cousin in her class. So, we were aware of the family."
O'Reilly said the project is a good thing for the town and for Gonzalez.
"Everybody can open up their hearts and help out a bit," O'Reilly said. "It's a nice welcome to the community."
The organization has been in touch with the town about their plans but has not yet applied for any building permits, said Hillsdale Mayor John Sapanara.
The group has said it will file the necessary applications in the coming weeks.
"Unfortunately, we have to start from scratch again," Gonsalves said. "But we hope to start construction as soon as we can."
Sapanara hopes the family will be settled soon.
"I hope we can get him a home that he likes and that will be appropriate for his needs. His family is in Hillsdale and that will be good for him and for his family," he said.
A quiet boy who loved sports and computers, Gonzalez grew up in the Dominican Republic hearing stories about his grandfather and uncles who served in the military. He dreamed of serving in the U.S. Army. After graduating from high school with honors in 2001, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines because, he said, "They are the most elite."
He signed up on Sept. 10, 2001. A day later, the Twin Towers fell. Gonzalez was in the first unit sent to Iraq. After what happened on Sept. 11, he wanted to do something, he said.
In April 2004, his unit was clearing out homes in battle-torn Fallujah when snipers attacked. Gonzalez was shot in the neck, severing his spinal cord. His recovery, including three years of rehab and treatment in a VA hospital was difficult. He remained paralyzed from the chest down.
With most of his relatives living in New Jersey, Gonzalez decided he wanted to live close to family and near high-quality medical care. Baez contacted various organizations to obtain help for her son. Finally, Homes for Our Troops offered to build a home for him at no cost.
Baez said she and her son are praying that the Hillsdale home will work out. "We have been a bit disheartened," she said. "But we are trying to be hopeful."
Ellie