The national nonprofit organization Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) completed its donation of a specially adapted custom home to Navy HM3 Edward Bonfiglio on Saturday, April 5. Bonfiglio was severely injured while serving in Afghanistan. His new home is in the Loxahatchee area.
On Aug. 10, 2009, during his third combat deployment, Hospital Corpsman Third Class Bonfiglio was on a routine patrol with D Company, 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, when his unit was ambushed in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Bonfiglio was shot in the left leg and sciatic nerve during the firefight.
Empowered by the freedom and independence of an HFOT home, Bonfiglio will have more time and energy to pursue other opportunities. Currently a software consultant, his goal is to start his own business. He would also like to volunteer more with veteran organizations.
Bonfiglio’s new home features more than 40 major special adaptations, such as widened doorways for wheelchair access, a roll-in shower, and kitchen amenities that include pull-down shelving and lowered countertops.
The home will also alleviate the mobility and safety issues associated with a traditional home, including navigating a wheelchair through narrow hallways or over thresholds, riding on carpets or reaching for cabinets that are too high. HFOT was able to donate the home thanks to contributions from donors, supporters and corporate partners.
“What you do to help injured military veterans is nothing short of extraordinary,” Bonfiglio said. “It is a selfless act to give folks like myself the opportunity to lead a full life after injury.”
Currently, there are more than 73 active projects underway nationwide. To find out more about how to get involved, or make a donation, visit www.hfotusa.org.
Learn more about Edward Bonfiglio’s story at www.hfotusa.org/bonfiglio.
