Purple Heart Homes co-founders Dale Beatty and John Gallina broke ground Saturday in a ceremony in front of the Harrisburg home of disabled Vietnam Veteran Dave “IHOP” Morrell.
Surrounded by friends, volunteers and war veterans, Morrell looked humbled by the events unfolding around him.
“We are going to add an addition to the back of his house for a new bedroom, and take his old bedroom and convert into an accessible bathroom,” Gallina said. “He will be able to live his life a little bit easier in his home.”
Morrell is an amputee, suffering from long-term effects of Agent Orange exposure during his tour of duty in Vietnam.
Five years ago, Morrell lost his leg below the knee to complications. He is preparing for further surgery that will place him back in a wheel chair for several months.
Morrell bought the home with his son, an ex-marine and police officer, who served two tours in Iraq. His son has returned to Iraq recently as a civilian contractor, and Morrell lives in the home with his daughter-in-law and grandson.
Gallina and Beatty surprised Morrell with news of the $25,000 addition at the “going away” party for his son.
“I never expected this. I have just learned to live with it,” Morrell said. “You learn to live and adapt. This was a total surprise.“
“Right now, his home is not accessible at all. We are going to modify it to meet as much of his needs as we can,” Gallina said.
Morrell said the planned improvements will make even the little tasks much easier.
“I will be able to have access through the doorways with my walker at night when I take my leg off. I will be able to use my wheelchair. I will finally have a bathroom I can use,” he said.
He has postponed the revision surgery he needs until after project is expected to be complete.
The project will also help his grandson, who is a special need child.
Purple Heart Homes founders, Gallina and Beatty are veterans of the Iraq War. Both men were injured in Iraq when a mine exploded beneath their Humvee. Beatty is double amputee. Gallina sustained head and back injuries.
When the two arrived home from the war they found, what they say is a great inequity in the treatment of veterans.
“We realized the needs we have as young men and we know there are older veterans with the same needs. There conditions are deteriorating over time,” Gallina said. “They get left out. They don’t get the same sight, the same coverage, media attention that our young veterans get returning home.“
So, the pair founded the non-profit and set out to help as many wounded veterans as possible.
Purple Heart Homes use corporate sponsors for materials, volunteer labor and monetary donations to fund and complete the projects. The group has about 25 active volunteers that work on the projects weekly.
For Morrell’s home, Purple Heart Homes partnered with Kenneth Bealer Homes as the general contractor.
“This year we are targeting 10 to 12 projects,” he said. “This our third project.“
Vietnam veteran Kevin Smith was at the groundbreaking to show his support for the organization. He was one the three projects completed by Purple Heart Homes.
“It’s worth a million dollars to me,” Smith said of the handicapped accessible ramp and deck volunteers built on the side of his home.
“I can get in and out of my house,” he said. “IHOP and I are just a couple of veterans that have been blessed by a vision and a passion. It’s hard to talk about.“
He is very grateful to Gallina and Beatty for what they have done to make his life easier.
“I do what I can for them, because they have done no less for me,” Smith said.
More information on Purple Heart Homes is available on their Web site: www.phhnc.org.
Contact reporter Robin L. Gardner: 704-789-9140.
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