Military Branch: United States Army
Location: Michigan
Build Completion: Current Build

Bobby was born in an army hospital into a military family. The early years of his life were fraught with trauma, which led to Bobby and his sister to spending their pre-teen/teen years in a military orphanage. After graduating High School, he was accepted to Ferris State University where he studied Criminal Justice and played on the school’s rugby team.

Following the attacks on 9/11, Bobby was compelled to serve his country and joined the United States Army. In July of 2005 his unit was deployed to Habbiniyah, Iraq where he participated in grueling daily missions for 17 – 20 hours as an infantry soldier. While on a routine mission on February 12, 2006, his Humvee was stuck by a roadside bomb, blowing the door directly into his body. Bobby was medically evacuated stateside where he spent the next year rehabbing his left shoulder and undergoing 18 surgical procedures to save his leg.

Unfortunately, his body rejected the foreign materials and Bobby and was forced to make the arduous decision to move forward with an above the knee amputation of his left leg. On September 9, 2013 he was admitted to an amputee clinic where he was expected to spend three to five months in recovery and rehabilitation, his tenacity and determination allowed Bobby to walk out of the clinic, with a new prosthetic leg, after only seven weeks.

With the help of his wife Erin and his children, Bobby continues to fight and make amazing strides. Bobby is a certified peer support specialist, counseling other veterans and amputees with PTSD to help them overcome their obstacles. As part of his treatment, Bobby turned to the gym and found his new calling on the powerlifting platform, earning five national and two world records.

Bobby and his family currently live in Michigan in a home where stairs are dangerous obstacles, showering is a perilous task, and the absence of accessible features can lead to further injuries and daily difficulties.

Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors is honored to collaborate with our national partners to design and build a 100% accessible, mortgage-free home that will ease the Body families’ daily challenges and allow Bobby to feel safe and secure.

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DAV’s 2016 Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year – Bobby Body
DAV has named Bobby Body, a combat-injured, single-amputee veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, as its 2016 Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year.

Military Branch: United States Army
Location: Tennessee
Build Completion: December 2021

Sergeant Stephanie Vazquez, born in Charlottesville VA, was raised by her parents along with her four brothers in Williamstown West Virginia.
She moved to Oceanside, CA in October of 2005 when she enlisted in the Army. A single mother, Stephanie joined the service hoping to be able to provide and support her small family but quickly became extremely dedicated to the military and showed great promise.

Seven years into her service she was handpicked by the Commander and Sergeant Major of the Battalion to be the NCOIC of the BN FET (Female engagement team). She deployed overseas to attend the first Female engagement team school in Baghram Afghanistan where her life would be forever changed.

Three weeks before her team would be returning to the US she was on a routine patrol when the unit started taking small arms fire, RPG’s, and motor rounds. It was during this fire fight that Stephanie sustained the critical injuries that she is still dealing with to this day. Although she was severely injured Stephanie made the decision to stay in Afghanistan in order to train the unit coming in to replace them.

Once back state side she started down her long road to recovery. She underwent 18 surgeries on her lower left leg as well as three spinal cord surgeries. Unfortunately, the surgeries to salvage her leg were unsuccessful and the decision was made to amputate the limb.

Stephanie is determined to not let her injuries define her and will “never let the enemy win”

Since the loss of her leg, she has relearned how to participate in her favorite extra-curricular activities such as hiking, walking, horseback riding, snowboarding and her new love playing sled hockey with the Nashville Predator Sled Hockey Team.

Stephanie and her daughter lived in Tennessee, in a home where as an amputee, stairs were dangerous obstacles, showering was a perilous task, and the absence of other accessible features made everyday life more challenging.

To help make her feel safe and more independent at home, Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors purchased land in Portland, TN and built a mortgage-free, 100% accessible and custom home for Stephanie and her daughter.

On December 20th, 2021, Stephanie received the keys to her new home. She is grateful for the added security and independence it brings for her. It’s a feeling of safety and ease that many wounded veterans don’t experience when living in a home that’s not accessible to their needs.

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