ARLINGTON, Texas–A local U.S. Army veteran received a home renovation from the TV home improvement series “Military Makeover with Montel,” a national television show hosted by decorated veteran Montel Williams, and Purple Heart Homes.
On Sept. 25, Army veteran Carlos Colón-Ruiz got his first look at his new home. The cast of “Military Makeover” worked on the home renovation for two weeks to make the house a more comfortable living space for Colón-Ruiz, a disabled veteran.
Many renovations by interior designer Jennifer Bertrand were intended to make the home more accessible and appealing. Prior to the home renovation, Bertrand assigned Colón-Ruiz with the task of creating a Pinterest board to fully personalize his home.
“Yes, so when we do this, I have them make a Pinterest page, I give a questionnaire, I ask them questions and then I try to quickly get as close as I can to what they liked,” Bertrand said.
The home transformation included the removal of a wall at the entrance of the house that compartmentalized the home, the expansion of the kitchen, the removal and replacement of unused closets in the bedroom, and a full renovation of the house’s backyard. The backyard renovation includes the addition of a privacy fence, a patio, a fire pit, and a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled grill to encourage Colón-Ruiz’s love for barbecuing.
Along with a new grill, Purple Heart Homes gifted Colón-Ruiz an Argon 18 bike in recognition of his passion for bike racing.
“We want to support his mental and physical well-being, not just his home so I think, you know, that component is very important to us,” Paul Cockerham, chief development officer of Purple Heart Homes, said.
Colón-Ruiz joined the U.S. Army out of high school. In 2008, he was deployed to Afghanistan. There, he suffered injuries when a rocket-propelled grenade exploded in his Humvee. He lost the sight in one eye and two fingers, while two of his fingers were paralyzed. He lost hearing in one ear and 50% of hearing in his other. President George W. Bush awarded Colón-Ruiz the Purple Heart. Colón-Ruiz also earned an Infantry Badge and an Army Commendations Medal.