Thanks to the tremendous support of Americans from every corner of this great country, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation was able to deliver 50 homes in 24 states, covering nearly half of the country, during the foundation’s Seventh Annual Season of Hope.
To wrap up this year’s campaign, it was T2T has announced that mortgage-free homes were delivered to 11 deserving families in three states during week four of the campaign. The following stories of three of those families from the final week provide a mere snapshot of all the good Tunnel to Towers has done this holiday season, and continues to do.
Go here for more information about Tunnel to Towers and to find out more about how this top-tier non-profit steps up for first responders, veterans, and their families.
U.S. Army 1st Sgt. John “Mike” Fairfax
United States Army First Sergeant John “Mike” Fairfax enlisted in the military as an Infantryman after graduating from high school in 1993, and was assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. On July 31, 2005, during his third deployment to Afghanistan, Fairfax was critically wounded when an IED struck his mounted reconnaissance patrol.
He sustained a partially collapsed lung, damage to his right eye, and a severe fracture of his right femur that severed his femoral artery. Though his leg was initially saved, ongoing pain and limited mobility led him to elect an above-the-knee amputation in 2007, motivated by the hope of one day returning to duty.
Less than a year later, Fairfax became the first amputee in the Army to graduate from Jumpmaster School. In Jan. 2010, he returned to Afghanistan as the first above-the-knee amputee in the Special Forces Regiment to deploy, completing two additional deployments.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has renovated his Home Mills, North Carolina, home into a specially-adapted smart home.
U.S. Army Cpl. Luigi Marciante
United States Army Corporal Luigi Marciante tragically lost his life on Sept. 20, 2007, when he was fatally wounded by an IED while serving in Iraq. Marciante's early life was shaped by his upbringing in Elizabeth, New Jersey, complemented by summers spent in Sicily, Italy.
These experiences instilled in him a deep sense of purpose, leading him to join the military with a profound desire for personal growth and a commitment to serving his country. U.S. Army Cpl. Luigi Marciante is survived by his loving wife, Stephanie, and their beautiful son, Lorenzo.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has paid off the mortgage on the family’s Manahawkin, New Jersey, home.
NYPD Det. Adam Frasse
Inspired by his father’s service in World War II as well as a police officer, New York City Police Department (NYPD) Detective 2nd Grade Adam Frasse decided to join law enforcement in 1987, serving first with the NYC Transit Police before transferring to the NYPD in 1992.
He proudly served for 22 years, and, after experiencing chest pain while conducting surveillance of human trafficking on Nov. 23, 2009, Frasse suffered a heart attack. He lost oxygen to his brain for 30 minutes, leaving him in a coma for four-and-a-half years.
He sadly passed away on May 5, 2014. Frasse leaves behind his wife, Kara, and his sons, Scott and Jay. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has paid off the mortgage on the family’s home in Massapequa, New York.
Read more about the deserving families who were helped throughout the Tunnel to Towers Seventh Annual Season of Hope here.
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