Monday, June 16, 2008

Veterans’ group donates Richardson home to injured U.S. army translator

By Chad Jones , Laura Seewoester

Richardson, Texas.

Friday the 13th.

1200 hours.

Army Specialist Razan Saied and her family were driven under the cloak of noontime to an unfamiliar location in a foreign neighborhood. What they saw when they arrived shocked and surprised them all.

Before them stood their new 1,500 square foot ranch-style home, donated by the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, a nonprofit group that helps wounded veterans rebuild their lives.

Saied, a northern Iraqi of Kurdish descent, immigrated to America in 2000 and joined the army as a translator in 2003 leading up to the Iraq War. She shipped out as soon as she finished school and was stationed for less than a year, returning home after suffering traumatic brain injuries and broken bones during an accident where a defective wheel caused her humvee to roll.

For the past eight months, Saied had been treated at hospitals across the country, but her recovery was hampered by the family's former home—small, inaccessible and crutch-unfriendly.

"Really, it wasn't acceptable to release her into that house," said Saied's caseworker Tamara Rodriguez-Uhrich with the United States Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2), Serco Soldier/Family Management Specialist.

Into the governmental gap stepped Rodriguez-Uhrich and CSAH, purchasing and renovating the 1,500 square foot home (almost twice the size of the previous one) with $120,000 in donations and assistance from local businesses and residents.

"I love this country," Saied said in-between fits of excited speechlessness as she took in her new home. Equally overwhelmed were husband Ihmed Hussein, daughter Sana (13) and sons Arya (11) and Alan (9).

"My mom deserves it because she's just an amazing woman," said Sana. "My brothers don't even think it's their house yet. This is amazing."

Neighbors from those businesses attended the event to show support for the Saied family, as did J.R. Martinez, U.S. Army (Ret.), Jorge DeLeon, U.S. Army (Ret.), Donny Daughenbaugh, USMC (Ret.), and Daniel Vargas, USAF (Ret.) from CSAH.

Sigrid Walsh, a neighbor said "I came because I wanted to be supportive. I'm a neighbor and I want to be here for them."

The family was driven to the home under the guise they had been awarded a new car, which, for the sake of not being mean, they were also actually given.

See more stories in:

• Local Heroes

Comments

Jason Rice Verified

Ok, Richardson wins the "Coolest Place Ever" award.

1 year, 4 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Jason Rice Verified

Correction : http://www.saluteheroes.org/ did the heavy lifting.

(Whew! I have some really outstandingly catty Richardson jokes I'd have to abandon if that were true)

What an amazing organization!

1 year, 4 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Pavel Lishin Verified

That's pretty awesome.

Then you think about all the other veterans that are getting shafted like shafts are on clearance, and you're depressed again. :(

1 year, 4 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

bobdon000 Anonymous

Wonderful story - We live in a great country.

1 year, 4 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Kay Anonymous

I agree with Pavel, on both statements.

1 year, 4 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Chad Jones Verified

The DMN has run a big background, super-patriotic fourth-of-July piece on Saied and her original desire to enlist: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedconte...

1 year, 4 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )