The Foundation even paid off the mortgage for Sgt. First Class Sean Acker’s new home in Howell.
The renovation features a 1,000-square-foot addition with an ADA-compliant bedroom, bathroom, and kitchenette. The Foundation also removed the existing metal ramp and installed a permanent masonry ramp.
In February 2022, Acker experienced a severe medical injury, enduring three weeks of fighting for his life in the critical care unit before living away from home at a long-term rehabilitation facility.
He suffered a blood clot and went into cardiac arrest after surgery, according to abc7ny.com. The difficulties left him nearly blind with other physical and medical challenges, the outlet said.
"Two years ago our lives changed in a matter of seconds, and now over a matter of six to eight months our lives are changing again, but for the better," his wife, State Trooper Lisa Acker told abc7ny.
On Tuesday, April 16, New Jersey State Police Colonel Patrick J. Callahan and a contingent of troopers attended Acker’s homecoming and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the smart home.
The Tunnel to Towers Smart Home Program builds specially adapted, mortgage-free smart homes that help catastrophically injured veterans and first responders reclaim their independence.
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