Staten Island, New York. As the media focuses on the recovery quadruple amputee Sgt. Brendan Marrocco is making following a double arm transplant, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and the Gary Sinise Foundation have initiated a fundraising campaign to help re-build Brendan’s waterside smart home which was devastated by Super Storm Sandy.
“Due to the updated FEMA Flood Plain Maps issued this week after the devastation that hit Staten Island, it is clear that Brendan’s house will require major structural changes to raise it up in order to accommodate the new FEMA guidelines,” says Frank Siller, Chairman of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, ” He is lucky that his house is still standing because the building next to his was demolished by the waves. We want to make sure that Brendan’s refurbished home will be ready once he is finished with physical therapy, and that may be as soon as this coming June, but the costs will be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.” The Gary Sinise Foundation has committed the first $50,000 to help in rebuilding Brendan’s home.
Gary Sinise commented, “This is a partnership between the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and the Gary Sinise Foundation to repair and update Brendan’s house so that he never has to worry about it flooding again.” He further adds, “During the initial home building campaign in 2010, Brendan became a friend. Now, I urge America to help this severely injured veteran who has been through so much.”
To donate, go to TunneltoTowers.org or GarySiniseFoundation.org.