Due to the amount of repairs and renovations that were needed on Michael Malone’s childhood home, the 60-year-old veteran has been living in a facility for the homeless.
But thanks to over 70 Indianapolis volunteers, he can finally move back into his rightful home.
Malone, who served in the Air Force from 1976 to 1980 and the Air Reserves from 1981 to 1996, has been trying to recover from the recent deaths of his mother and daughter. Though he was bequeathed his childhood home after his mom’s passing, he did not have the money to finance the extensive repairs, which led to his homelessness.
In celebration of National Volunteer Week, dozens of workers from Home Depot and Volunteers of America offered to conduct renovations on Malone’s house during their days off.
Within a matter of days, the team remodeled the bathroom, repainted the interior of the house, and installed new flooring. Not only that, but Malone was especially emotional over the American flag that they installed in front of the building.
“If I turn the corner and see a flag flying, I know I’ll be home then,” said Michael as he stared up at the red, white and blue. “My daughter was born on the 4th of July, so each time I see the flag, I think of her.”
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The renovations were a part of Home Depot’s commitment to spending a quarter of a billion dollars on ending veteran homelessness by 2020. Malone was just one of a dozen veterans who were helped by the company’s team of volunteer workers last week.
“I’m kind of overwhelmed. I’m happy, I’m sad in a sense that my mother won’t be here to experience this – this was her home,” Malone told WXIN. “[But] this just blows me away that there are people that are really truly that kind. It absolutely restores my view of humanity.”
Click To Share The Inspiring Story With Your Friends – Photos by Home Depot