Volunteers Help Local Veteran With Home Repairs

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A local veteran is receiving some much needed help with his home.

Volunteers have spent days working on repairs.

Ricardo Butler is Marine Corps veteran and has lived in Hazelwood most of his life.

He's worked hard to maintain his home, but seven years ago that become a lot more difficult.

Butler was in a motorcycle accident.

"I was on my way home. Two blocks before I got home, I had a stroke and I was on my bike and I lost my arm," Butler said.

His house on Ashton Avenue needs work and that's where Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh comes in.

Volunteers with the organization along with BNY Mellon employees are stepping up.

"We're putting in a number of grab bars in the couple of bathrooms Mr. Butler has here, as well as making sure that all of his handrails are installed on the stairs, as well as just very secure," Hillary Bundy from Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh said.

But, that's not all.

Crews are making other safety upgrades and they're painting the porch outside and nearly the entire house inside.

They even installed an American flag in the front yard.

"They are doing a lot. They're doing a lot of things I couldn't do," Butler said.

"Veterans projects really are my favorite. Making sure that those who have served our country are being taken care of by not only non-profit organizations that serve veterans but their communities themselves. They get to come in and say thank you to those who have served our country," Bundy said.

This home isn't the only one being revamped by Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh.

Just this year, volunteers have worked on more than 50 veterans' homes in Allegheny County.