Nassau County

‘It’s beyond what I ever could have dreamed of:’ Nassau veteran, wife gifted new home

YULEE, Fla. — A Nassau County Purple Heart veteran and his wife opened the door to their new home with help from PulteGroup’s Built to Honor program in partnership with Building Homes for Heroes, a non-profit organization that for 17 years has constructed, built and modified homes for injured military veterans and their families.

The program started in 2013, and since then, the program has built and donated more than 75 homes across the country, and the Perrys’ new home is just one of three homes dedicated in the greater Jacksonville area.

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“I never thought this would ever, happen in my life,” Ret. Marine Sgt. Matthew Perry said.

On Tuesday, first responders along with Wildlight residents joined Perry and his wife, Helen for the unveiling of their new home in Forest Park.

“This just feels totally incredible,” former Army Capt. Helen Perry said.

PulteGroup’s Built to Honor program works with nonprofit organizations to find veterans who have been injured in service.

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Matthew Perry served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since then, he had a traumatic brain injury and has a chronic condition that will require lifetime monitoring and treatment.

Their new home has wheelchair-accessible bedrooms and bathrooms, along with a reinforced staircase to accommodate a lift.

“When we started this journey, we were really just focused on trying to live an abled life and not a disabled life,” Helen Perry said.

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Matthew and his wife are looking forward to starting this new chapter of their lives.

“We’re just so excited to continue to make this our home,” Helen said.

PulteGroup said it is already looking for another recipient and has plans to gift another family just like the Perrys within the next two years.

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