help a hero

Retired Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Jose Rivera (right) and his wife walk down the sidewalk leading to the door of their new home in New Braunfels on March 28, 2024.

As retired Marine corps staff sergeant Jose Rivera walked through his new specially-adapted home Thursday in New Braunfels, he felt overwhelmingly emotional, excited and happy, he said. He thought about how his new home would give him a new sense of freedom and bring his family closer together. 

Rivera spends most of his time wearing a prosthetic leg or using a wheelchair due to injuries he sustained during service. He and his family received a brand new custom-adapted house at a “Welcome Home” ceremony Thursday as part of the “100 Homes Challenge.” The house’s amenities focus on providing accessibility and fostering independence for Rivera.  

help a hero

Retired Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Jose Rivera places his hand on the doorknob of his new home in New Braunfels on March 28, 2024.

help a hero

Retired Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Jose Rivera sits in the walk-in shower in his new home in New Braunfels on March 28, 2024.

Erica Wilson is the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung's education and nonprofit reporter. 

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