U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Williams stood in front of his new home on a rainy Thursday morning, surrounded by dozens of supporters.

“I really want to thank Building Homes for Heroes for giving me the chance to be able to give my family the stability that they deserve,” Williams said. “That way, if I do have to go through some issues again, or if I am troubled, or if I do hit a black hole, I don’t have to worry about them being homeless or being in a position where they don’t have the stability that they deserve.”

• Williams, his wife Brianna and their daughter Cheyenne received the home during a Welcome Home ceremony hosted by Building Homes for Heroes, a national nonprofit now in its 20th year. JPMorgan Chase, which provided the home for renovation, served as lead sponsor.

Williams enlisted in the U.S. Army out of Crestview in June 2006 at age 17. He served more than eight years as a Fire Support Specialist, completing three overseas deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq totaling 38 months in combat zones before he was medically retired in June 2015.

“I had the privilege of serving this country,” Williams told the crowd. “I joined at 17-years-old with one purpose – to learn structure and learn how to be a man.”

During his second tour in Afghanistan in 2013, Williams suffered a traumatic brain injury when his platoon was ambushed and a rocket-propelled grenade exploded 75 meters from his position. In a second incident, his vehicle was directly hit by an RPG during a surprise attack. His injuries included a traumatic brain injury, hip dysplasia, severe injuries to his spine, right ankle, foot, wrist and both shoulders.

“The traumas that I went through over the three tours that I spent in Iraq and Afghanistan for a combined total of 38 months was terrible,” Williams said. “I was injured multiple times. I had multiple explosions go off around me. I saw multiple people die that I was really close to.”

Since his medical retirement, Williams said he has undergone 13 surgeries, nine of which were major.

• “I struggle daily with depression and daily with the demons that I fight,” Williams said. “I’m constantly trying to keep myself just afloat, and it puts my family through a lot of troublesome times.”

He then paused to thank his wife.

“I really want to thank my wife for standing by me through all this and just being there to help me even when I didn’t deserve the help,” he said.

Crestview Mayor J.B. Whitten, a veteran who served in the Air Force, welcomed Williams back to the city where he first enlisted.

“We’ve changed a little bit since you were here the last time,” Whitten said, noting the city has grown from roughly 8,000 or 9,000 residents to nearly 32,000, but welcome home. “U.S. Army, you take it to the ground, you do what needs to be done, and you served your country so well that you’ve got my heartfelt thanks.”

Rusty Smallwood, Director of Construction for Building Homes for Heroes, said the organization’s 500th home is already scheduled for Dec. 16 in Dallas. He said the nonprofit has expanded its charter in the past three years to serve veterans from all wars as well as first responders, and now provides emergency services and mental wellness support for 5,000 veterans a year.

“We can’t do this alone and depend on the support of some amazing companies,” Smallwood said.

Paul Marques, JPMorgan Chase Consumer Bank Market Director, said the company’s support for veterans and military families is a long-term commitment.

• “A home is more than a building,” Marques said. “It’s stability, peace of mind, and a place for a family to connect, put down roots, and build what’s next together.”

Ernie Shanders, who leads part of the operations team within Chase Home Lending, said the company originally committed to donating 1,000 homes to military nonprofits and reached that goal in November 2018. Chase has since donated 1,100 homes and continues to identify additional properties to provide.

“JPMorgan Chase and Building Homes for Heroes have had the privilege of working together since 2012 to provide mortgage-free homes to hundreds of veterans and their families, and I’ve seen firsthand how life-changing these moments can be,” Shanders said.

Volunteers from Chase and Lowe’s Home Improvement spent Wednesday preparing the home, adding final touches to make the house ready for the family.

Chrissy Hartley, a Realtor who chairs the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors’ Building Homes for Heroes Task Force, said ECAR has supported the organization for 12 years. The association hosts an annual bowling tournament fundraiser in Fort Walton Beach, and Hartley announced that this year’s event raised more than $51,000.

“No matter how many dedications I have had the privilege of attending, they never become routine for me,” Hartley said. “Each one leaves a lasting impression on my heart and reminds me why I became so passionate about this organization all those years ago.”

• “Christopher, your service and sacrifice for our country are greater than anything that we could ever repay, but I hope today serves as a small reminder that your community sees you, we appreciate you, and we are incredibly grateful for all that you have given,” she said.

Rich Riley, Health Account Growth Leader for SAIC’s Civilian Business Group, said the moment was personal. Riley, an Iraq War veteran who returned in 2007 and underwent three spinal fusions and about five years of recovery, said he connected deeply with Williams’ story.

“When I read your story, I felt every word of your bio,” Riley told Williams. “It is an immense pleasure to be able to be here welcoming you to this house.”

SAIC has supported Building Homes for Heroes for more than 13 years, Smallwood said.

Among those attending Thursday’s ceremony were Okaloosa County Commissioner Sherri Cox, Crestview Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Sandra Wilson, Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden and members of VFW Post 5450. Several other Building Homes for Heroes veteran recipients from the Panhandle area were also in attendance.

Williams closed his remarks with a message for the crowd.

“God bless Building Homes for Heroes. God bless my wife, God bless my family, and God bless all of you for participating and coming out today,” he said.