A Hero Comes Home: U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Antwian Cooper Receives the Keys to His Forever Home in Jacksonville, FL
Watch as an entire community celebrates one man's courage and sacrifice
Under the bright Florida sun, neighbors lined the streets of the Wells Landing community as U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Antwian Cooper was welcomed home. Not from deployment, but to the place he'll call home forever. Through our Built to Honor® program, PulteGroup gifted this Purple Heart recipient and his three daughters a brand-new, mortgage-free Centex home in Jacksonville, Florida.
For Staff Sgt. Cooper, who served 11 years and completed four deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, this moment represents more than just receiving house keys. It represents a place to finally heal and find peace. After surviving an IED blast, his journey didn't end there. Following recovery and rehabilitation, he rejoined his brothers in arms. This unwavering courage and dedication to service earned him the Purple Heart and numerous other commendations.
"I had a lot of guys that didn't make it home," Sgt. Cooper shared through tears of gratitude. "The fact that I'm still alive and I get to put my kids in a place to be their forever home is very emotional for me."
But the surprises didn't end with the house keys. Staff Sgt. Cooper and his daughters discovered personal touches throughout their new home. Gaming equipment and Nike shoes for the girls, along with equipment to help them pursue their dreams of becoming viral influencers. For Antwian, a brand-new grill and pizza oven awaited in the backyard, ready for family pizza dinners and BBQs that will fill their forever home with laughter and memories.
Built in partnership with Building Homes for Heroes, this marks the fourth home our Northeast Florida Division has donated through the Built to Honor program. As our Northeast Florida Division President Justin Cook said, "We are privileged to welcome Staff Sgt. Cooper and his family into their new home, a symbol of our gratitude for his courage and dedication to serving our country."
This is what it means to build incredible places where people can live their dreams.
About Built to Honor®
For the last decade, PulteGroup’s Built to Honor® program has recognized and thanked returning military personnel who have been injured during their term of service by providing mortgage-free homes to veterans and their families. Launched in 2013, the program has built and donated over 95 homes, gifting more than $35 million in value, across the country. Built to Honor works in partnership with nonprofit organizations to identify veteran candidates. For more information about Built to Honor, go to builttohonor.org. Follow Built to Honor on Twitter: @BuiltToHonor and Facebook.com/BuiltToHonor.
About PulteGroup
PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE: PHM), based in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of America’s largest homebuilding companies with operations in more than 40 markets throughout the country. Through its brand portfolio that includes Centex, Pulte Homes, Del Webb, DiVosta Homes, American West and John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods, the company is one of the industry’s most versatile homebuilders able to meet the needs of multiple buyer groups and respond to changing consumer demand. PulteGroup’s purpose is building incredible places where people can live their dreams.
For more information about PulteGroup, Inc. and PulteGroup brands, go to pultegroup.com; pulte.com; centex.com; delwebb.com; divosta.com; jwhomes.com; and americanwesthomes.com. Follow PulteGroup, Inc. on Twitter: @PulteGroupNews.