Hometown Heroes draws crowd to Hoover Met

Veteran Sgt. Noah Galloway addressed a crowd of more than 100 at the Hometown Heroes Celebration on Monday, Sept. 28.

The event at the Hoover Met was hosted by Homes for Our Troops (HFOT), a non-profit organization that works to build houses for severely injured veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Galloway lost his left arm and leg in combat while serving in Iraq, and HFOT recently built a house for him in Calera.

“It’s like they knew my future better than I did,” Galloway said. “They explained, ‘This home is going to help you and your family.’”

The house has wide doorways that will allow Galloway to one day navigate with a wheelchair. He said the ability to live in a home suited to his needs is invaluable. He encouraged attendees to support HFOT and help spread the word about the organization.

“You’ve heard so much about how important these homes are and how many more injured veterans we have to help,” Galloway said. “We need you to spread that word because it is something we all need, for us and our families.”

Hoover resident Tom Rivers attended the event as a way to support veterans. His son was killed in Afghanistan in 2010, and he and his wife started a non-profit called Support Our Soldiers Alabama. He said events such as the Hometown Heroes Celebration are an important way to recognize those who have served in the military.

“As one of the speakers said, the nation that forgets its veterans will be soon forgotten, and I think this is a perfect example that these people have given sacrifice for this country, and the least we can do is provide for them to live independently when they get back,” Rivers said.