SAN ANTONIO – As Army Sgt. First Class Gabriel Monreal and his wife Rachel toured their new 2,800-square-foot Hill Country home on Veterans Day, they kept repeating one phrase.
“We’re humbled and just thrilled,” they each said. “We’re so blessed,” she said. “It’s hard to put into words.”
The four-bedroom home, which is 100% wheelchair accessible, was made possible by the national nonprofit organization Homes for Our Troops.
Monreal was seriously wounded a decade ago while serving in Afghanistan.
“Once I got picked up in the medivac, I went from being an infantry platoon sergeant to being a statistic, to being a casualty”, Monreal said as he, his wife Rachel and their four children toured their new home.
Monreal stayed in the Army, continuing to help and motivate other servicemen and women. He has since retired after serving 20 years.
“It makes me proud, in my heart, that I was able to shed blood and give a body part to my county. That makes me so proud," Monreal said as he looked back on his military career.
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