Double amputee Army veteran and his family receive key to brand new adaptive home in Idaho Falls
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IDAHO FALLS — Neighbors, fellow veterans and friends gathered Saturday morning to watch U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Byers and his family receive the keys to their new home off Helix Boulevard.
The nonprofit, Homes For Our Troops, organized the heart-warming event and the build of his new mortgage-free home. Locals were able to share the inspiring moment where Byers, who was injured in Afghanistan, causing him to lose both legs below the knee, got to experience his new, completely wheelchair accessible home for the first time.
Byers, who often uses a wheelchair but was wearing prosthetic legs, arrived at the home with a deputy escort complete with lights and sirens from the Idaho Falls Fire Department and Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office. Byers drove up his new driveway as it was lined with supporters waving American flags, and cheering him into his new home.
Home for Our Troops Chief Financial Officer Cindy Baptiste, told the crowd during the ceremony that the new one-level home home is 2,900 square feet, and includes over 40 accessible adaptations including four bedrooms, two wheelchair accessible bathrooms, and a wheel chair accessible kitchen.
The kitchen provides Byers with easy access to all the tools he may need such as roll-under sinks, a roll-under stovetop. The home also has wider hallways and doorways, no thresholds, and no carpeting.
“We believe we have a moral obligation to repay a debt to these veterans that can never fully be repaid,” says Baptiste. “They sacrifice their freedom and independence when they went downrange and served in a dangerous part of the world for our freedom and independence, and we hope to restore some of that with this home.”
Byers and his five children arrived at the new home with an escort complete with lights and sirens from the Idaho Falls Fire Department and Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office. The Byers family drove up their new driveway to loud cheers as it was lined with supporters waving American flags, and greeting them into their new home.
The event included many speakers such as Byers father, Mark Byers who is also an Army veteran. Mark gave a speech through tears about his son, calling him his hero, and explaining the pain and suffering Byers went through in his previous home.
“Living in a traditional house with lots of steps, narrow halls, difficult entryways, and a two level house…Chris is not one to complain,” said Mark. “He had no garage, so during the winter, he had to deal with the snow, the ice, and getting around without his wheelchair. Because it was easier to wear his prosthetics to get things done, I would find him working hours without taking them off…this often led to painful stores sores on his legs, and he often needed some downtime.”
Mark said this new home will change his family’s lives and provide more opportunities for Chris and his children.
“All of this will afford Chris the opportunity for a higher quality of life both inside and outside his home,” said Mark. “In working with Homes for our Troops and their team, I have never met a more driven and supportive group of people who are determined to give every veteran the best help they can give.”
During his speech to attendees, Byers explained his story, saying that he served three terms in the Army. On July 7, 2012, during his third deployment in Mushan, Afghanistan, Byers stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) resulting in the loss of both of his legs below the knees, a traumatic brain injury, and tinnitus.
“I made it about two months in and then my time got cut short. That’s an amputee joke,” Byers laughed. “I don’t remember much, except that I got on a helicopter about 15 minutes after the explosion, and woke up three days later in Texas at Brooke Army Medical Center.”
According to Byers, he was in the hospital and participating in rehabilitation for 13 months. In 2020, Byers moved from Washington to Idaho Falls where he says he fell in love with the city.
“Nobody liked me when I first moved here because we were from Washington during the pandemic,” Byers joked. “But after about six months, everybody was so welcoming and we made a lot of new neighbors, new friends, and we loved it from here on out.”
In August, the nonprofit, along with dozens of people in the community, gathered together on “Volunteer Day” to help lay sod and landscape the new home’s yard.
Before raising the American flag in front of his home and stepping inside, Byers thanked the contractors, volunteers, Homes for our Troops, and everyone that had a hand in making this dream a reality for him and his family.
“You just being here at this event, it says more than words can explain,” Byers said. Time is money and time is one of the most precious commodities we have. And the fact that people donate their time says more than words can explain. I hope that I can donate my time the way other people have donated theirs.”
