NatureView, a master-planned community surrounded by more than 50,000 acres of protected conservation land, has donated a homesite and home to Kaley Lazzaro, widow of Staff Sergeant Tommy Lazzaro of the 7th Special Forces Group.
- The donation through the NatureView Hero Homez initiative comes nearly a year after Tommy Lazzaro died in a hunting accident on Eglin Air Force Base on December 22, 2024. He was 27.
“Today we’re here to present a homesite to Kaley Lazzaro, the widow of Tommy Lazzaro,” said CSM Chuck Labuda of the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) during a recent gathering at the community. “It’s humbling to see the community come together and support the 7th Special Forces Group.”
The tragedy occurred on Kaley’s birthday, less than 18 hours after the couple learned they were expecting their first child. Their son, also named Tommy, was born in September.
DSLD Builders will construct the home in the Freeport community developed by The Jay Odom Group.
- “She’s going to have a brand-new home to raise our grandson,” said Tom Lazzaro, Tommy’s father. “The financial burden has been lifted from her shoulders.”
Tom Lazzaro described the moment as life-changing for the family approaching the one-year anniversary of their loss.
“This has been a phenomenal blessing,” he said.
Jay Odom, CEO and President of The Jay Odom Group, said NatureView was designed as a place where families can grow and connect on 300 acres surrounded by permanent conservation land owned by the State of Florida and Nokuse Plantation.
“We were fortunate enough to find 300 acres in the middle of a 50,000-acre nature preserve,” Odom said. “We’re surrounded by permanent conservation land. It’s a perfect place for kids to grow up and for families to grow together.”
The NatureView Hero Homez program partners directly with local military and first-responder organizations including Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field, Duke Field, the 7th Special Forces Group, Walton County Sheriff’s Office and Walton County Fire. These organizations identify and select deserving families from within their own ranks rather than through a public application process.
- “We wanted to give back to the community,” Odom said. “So we decided to build five Hero Homes and give those away to people who are in truly unfortunate situations.”
Travis Gomez, project manager for DSLD Builders’ Florida Division, said the company committed immediately when Odom shared the vision.
“As soon as Jay shared the vision for NatureView, we jumped at the opportunity,” Gomez said. “The owners of DSLD truly want to do everything they can to help — whatever it takes.”
Gomez said being part of the project carries personal significance.
“To be able to give back and help a military family that has gone through the worst thing imaginable means the world,” he said.
For Odom, the presentation reinforced his purpose in developing the community.
“To see the joy on their faces — that feeling is better than making money or anything else you can do,” he said.
