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Ignacio Arriaga and his sister Rosa during Saturday’s Community Kickoff event at First United Methodist Church in Avon Park.
The First United Methodist Church choir sings the national anthem during Saturday’s Community Kickoff event for Ignacio Arriaga.
Ignacio Arriaga arrives at Saturday’s Community Kickoff event. At the left is Homes For Our Troops Director of Development Chris Mitchell.
The Post 69 Legion Riders and others came to the event to show their support for Army Specialist Ignacio Arriaga.
AVON PARK — As a youngster, Ignacio Arriaga watched his mother struggle to make ends meet for himself and his five siblings. Determined to repay his mother for her selfless ways, Arriaga enlisted in the Army with the intentions of buying his mother a house.
He never got the opportunity. Two months before he was scheduled to report for basic training, his mother died in a car accident.
After talking things over with his recruiter and not liking his prospects should he not enlist, Arriaga entered the Army and was sent to Afghanistan
On Nov. 20, 2010, Arriaga suffered an accident of his own — one that left him paralyzed from the chest down.
On Saturday, Arriaga was welcomed to Highlands County with a Community Kickoff ceremony that took place at Avon Park’s First United Methodist Church. The reason for the well-deserved fanfare is that Arriaga is the recipient of a new home supplied by Homes For Our Troops, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that builds and donates homes to severely injured post-9/11 veterans.
Erin Dever, from Rick Scott’s office was on hand and read a letter from the senator, while a letter from Marco Rubio was also read.
Dana Orr, representing State Rep. Kaylee Tuck, said a few words, thanking Arriaga for his service and welcoming him to the community.
“I would like to thank everybody who showed up today and more than anything, I’d like to thank Army Specialist Arriaga,” Orr said. “We’re here today and welcome him to his new community and we want him to know that this is a very veteran-friendly community. And it’s going to feel like home in very short order.”
Orr touched upon how much a custom-built home would be a blessing for Arriaga, which was a common theme throughout the day. No longer will counters and cabinets be too high for his wheelchair and no more damaging narrow doorways with his wheelchair.
“The rebuilding lives aspect of our mission is probably the most important thing that we do as an organization,” said Homes For Our Troops Director of Development Chris Mitchell. “These homes, they’re definitely game changers. There’s over 40 adaptations that go into these and they are fully 100% accessible.”
Mitchell said Homes For Our Troops has 29 homes built in Florida and there are another 12 in progress. The organization has built more than 345 homes since its beginnings in 2004.
“Florida, like Texas, they take care of our veterans,” Mitchell said. “You guys do a really great job.”
For Arriaga, one of the great benefits of the new home will be making things easier on his caregivers.
“Anything that makes it easier for them is better,” he said.
Arriaga is a racing fan, so he’ll have plenty of opportunities to watch the races in person, and he said his welcome to the area has been amazing, and he was grateful for the support of his family.
“I’d like to thank my siblings because I know it’s hard to put up with me,” he said.
Arriaga said he was appreciative of everybody who attended the event, including the first responders who served as an escort, the riders organizations who showed up, along with those who have helped Homes For Our Troops, and especially the organization itself.
“It really is humbling and an honor to have served for people like you,” he said.
To learn more about Homes For Our Troops, visit hfotusa.org
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