A 'long journey ... home': Wounded Marine receives new house from nonprofit

ATTICA, Ind. — “It’s been a long journey, but we’re officially home.”

Those were the first words that crossed Marine LCpl. Bryan Chambers’ mind the moment he opened the front door of his new home.

As he slowly opened the door, Chambers’ twins, Riley and Gavin, ran right past him and marveled at the empty shell that was their new home.

Chambers didn’t mind, because he was frozen at that moment, soaking in the reality of the situation. This house was built specifically for him and to give him a place that could truly become his “forever home.”

He could have never imagined that the application that he filled out three years ago with the non-profit organization, Homes for Our Troops, would actually lead to a custom-built home for his family in his home state of Indiana.

“I’m overwhelmed and we are very thankful... I’m speechless. We are very, extremely thankful,” said Chambers when asked how he felt about his new home.

After taking in the moment for a few seconds, Chambers became unfrozen, as his twins could be heard yelling, “I want to look at my room!”

Chambers happily obliged, as he and his wife, Rhyann, began to explore their new home.

On his last mission in Iraq

The long journey that Chambers and his family endured is not an understatement.

In 2006, Chambers was severely wounded on what would become his last mission of his deployment in Iraq.

Chambers and his platoon went out on patrol. Everything had seemed normal until his vehicle ran over an explosive device, and he narrowly avoided death. But the mission cost Chambers his leg.

“I was pinned in the vehicle. Orders were given out over the radio to back away from the vehicle. It was just kind of presumed that I was gone because, well, if the engine was gone, the driver’s hole is right next to the engine.

"So, they didn’t think I was alive, but my brothers — they neglected to hear that information. When they got the driver’s hole opened, they saw I was pinned in it. My corpsman and my lieutenant had to jump on my leg and break my femur to get me out because I was pinned in the driver’s hole. From there, I was basically on a flight for my life. I was flown to Karbala, then to Germany, and then finally I was flown back to the United States,” Chambers told the Journal & Courier in an interview back in January 2022.

And over the next 13 years, Chambers’ life was a rollercoaster, having its highs and lows. From adjusting to life with his new disability, to him falling for the love of his life after meeting her at a party in Denver, Colo.

The Journal & Courier first got to know Chambers earlier this year, after Homes for Our Troops, a non-profit organization that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans, announced that Chambers would be receiving a home.

It’s been 10 months since then.

And on a breezy Saturday morning, just one cornfield’s length away from the Tippecanoe County county line, Chambers’ friends and family all gathered at his brand-new home, to share in this life-altering moment.

Before the unveiling of his new home, people associated with Homes for Our Troops and members of Chambers’ family spoke to those who had gathered at the house.

Not to worry

His father, Craig Chambers, shared with the audience his perspective of his son’s life journey.

“He informed his mama that he was going out – on his, on his last rides. And he told her not to worry that he’ll be home and that he already has a plane ticket bought. His younger sister was graduating from college, and he was going to be there for graduation. And he said don’t worry mom. That was the last thing he said,” said Craig.

He went on to talk about the day he learned about his son’s near-death experience.

“To say that Bryan really shouldn’t be here is not an understatement. We believe it was the grace of God that he is here today. For the next couple of months, we got very grim reports from all the medical people. He ended up being in a coma for three and a half months, and we went out to Walter Reed to spend time with him.

“You know, nearby here, well, they got one in Lafayette now, but down in Indianapolis they have the world-famous Riley’s Children’s Hospital and they got over 60 hospitals now. We never really thought about it that way, but Walter Reed was kind of like our children’s hospital because our boy was there. As you know, they’re still your kids no matter how old they are.”

Craig held back his tears as he looked at his boy. He could be seen looking at his Bible and thanking God for saving his boy’s life.

After Craig, Tom Landwermeyer, the CEO of Homes for Our Troops spoke about the organization's goal to try and repay the debt that America owes our veterans and, on this day, especially to Chambers.

“We don’t see what we do as a charity. We truly see it as the moral obligation of the decisions of our country. To repay a very small portion of a debt that will never be completely repaid,” said Landwermeyer.

“These troops and their families selflessly served and greatly sacrificed so that we could continue to enjoy our daily freedoms. But it is the responsibility of our country to take care of them.”

“The need for the home was already hit pretty well, but it really comes down to freedom and independence. And because they need the assistance in a regular home, to help them do some of those things that we take for granted. They have sacrificed their freedom and independence for us. And one of the speakers already said it, but they shouldn’t have to do that. They shouldn’t have to fight through challenges at the home. Your home ought to be your place of rest just like it is for the rest of us.”

And with that, Chambers made his way to the microphone, and briefly thanked all those who were involved with the building of his new home and those who had helped him along his life’s journey.

“This is a life-changing event. Not having to deal with stairs, and basements, and attics. Being able to have more room in the kitchen and only needing to have one person to help make dinner,” said Chambers.

“We are very excited for living out in the country and being back home.”

From there, Bryan and Rhyann went to the front of their home to raise the American Flag, shake hands with Landwermeyer, and open the door to their new lives.

“It’s been a long journey, but we’re officially home.”

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: A 'long journey ... home': Wounded Marine receives new house from nonprofit