Retired USMC Corporal Joshua Brubaker received a smart home to help alleviate some of the stress associated with the injuries he incurred while serving as a Marine.
Brubaker grew up in Bakersfield, California in a family of six. He always wanted to join the military but made a deal with his mother that he would finish college first. Shortly after receiving his A.S. degree in Criminal Justice, he enlisted in the Marines.
On June 1, 2012, while deployed to Afghanistan in the Musa Qala district, South Helmand Province, Joshua stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) and was knocked unconscious. He lost his left foot in the blast and his right foot was severely injured. Joshua was flown to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and underwent daily surgeries where he continued to fight for his life. Unfortunately, due to infections, both of his legs were eventually amputated.
While Joshua's injuries presented him with newfound obstacles, he remained optimistic that he would recover as much of himself as possible. Thanks to his commitment to physical therapy and additional surgeries, Joshua was able to adapt to his new prosthetic legs and began looking towards the future.
In 2015, he officially retired as a USMC Corporal, turning his attention to becoming a gunsmith in his hometown. He's also looking forward to starting a family with his wife Cara, whom he married earlier this year.
Gary Sinise Foundation's R.I.S.E. (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment) program provided Brubaker with the smart home along with multiple other donors. Under its R.I.S.E. program, the Gary Sinise Foundation is building specially adapted smart homes for the nation's most severely wounded veterans. The foundation is constructing one-of-a-kind homes across the country, each for a wounded hero, their caregivers, and families.
With a place to truly call home, they will now be able to move forward with their lives.
