Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Triple amputee USMC veteran Nick Kimmel walks through the front door of his new smart home in Fallbrook, provided by the Gary Sinise Foundation, on Jan 5. Shane Gibson photos
USMC veteran Sergeant Nick Kimmel arrives at the ceremony dedicating his new Fallbrook home provided by the Gary Sinise Foundation on Jan. 5.
Triple amputee USMC veteran Sergeant Nick Kimmel smiles at an applauding group of guests attending a ceremony held for him to officially receive his new, custom-built home in Fallbrook provided by the Gary Sinise Foundation. Kimmel was helping build a patrol base near Kajakai Dam in Afghanistan on Dec. 1, 2011 when he jumped of the forks of a tram loader and landed on an I.E.D. The I.E.D. detonation resulted in Kimmel losing both his legs and left arm.
USMC Color Guard marks the beginning of the ceremony held for USMC veteran Sergeant Nick Kimmel to receive his new Fallbrook smart home provided by the Gary Sinise Foundation. Attending the ceremony is wounded USMC veteran Jason Ross, right, who also received a new home in Fallbrook provided by the Gary Sinise Foundation on Aug. 21, 2015.
USMC veteran Sergeant Nick Kimmel observes the colors presented by the USMC Color Guard during a ceremony held when he received his new Fallbrook home provided by the Gary Sinise Foundation on Jan. 5.
Dozens of guests and people representing organizations that donated and provided charitable work in the construction of USMC veteran Nick Kimmel's new Fallbrook home attend a ceremony held inside a workshop built to cater to Kimmel's hobby of working on cars.
Marines attend a ceremony to honor their fellow comrade, USMC veteran Nick Kimmel, who received a new home in Fallbrook provided by the Gary Sinise Foundation.
Speakers representing a number of organizations that helped make wounded USMC veteran Nick Kimmel's new Fallbrook home a reality speak during a ceremony to officially hand the keys over to Kimmel on Jan. 5.
A 1971 Corvette Stingray sits in the work shop at USMC veteran Nick Kimmel's new Fallbrook home provided by the Gary Sinise Foundation. Kimmel and his dad purchased the car and will be fixing it up in the new garage's workshop which features a hydraulic lift.
FALLBROOK – United States Marine Corps (Ret.) Sergeant Nick Kimmel received a brand new, smart home in Fallbrook on Tuesday, Jan. 5, thanks to the Gary Sinise Foundation. Kimmel lost three limbs four years ago while serving his country in Helman province, Afghanistan, working near the Kajaki Dam.
Kimmel's injury occurred on Dec. 1, 2011 when he was helping build a patrol base just south of the dam. When he jumped off the forks of a tram loader, he landed on a 40-lb. IED.
"Four days later, he woke up in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center," said Foundation representatives. "His left arm had been amputated as well as both legs above the knee."
Kimmel endured surgeries every other day for a month.
"Since then, Nick has recovered remarkably," representatives said. "A former high school baseball athlete, he threw the ceremonial first pitch at Game Two of the 2012 World Series."
The Gary Sinise Foundation said it proudly built Kimmel the new, specially-adapted, custom smart home through its R.I.S.E. (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment) program. Representatives explained it as follows:
"The simple tasks of everyday life – climbing stairs, reaching a high shelf, driving to the grocery store – are easy to take for granted. Because they’re done without a second thought, it’s impossible to imagine an inability to perform them. But that’s often the reality for our severely wounded heroes, when basic tasks are impossible obstacles and the enduring ambition of rehabilitation is to achieve a semblance of normalcy. Through its R.I.S.E. program, the Gary Sinise Foundation is building specially adapted custom Smart Homes for these heroes, their caregivers and loved ones. With a place to truly call home, they can finally move forward with their lives."
The new home is located in an area off South Mission Road.
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