Navy Fireman Brenda Arnaud couldn't climb the stairs to her children's bedrooms in her old Texas home. Now she has a mortgage-free smart home in Land O' Lakes where every doorway, hallway and fixture is built for her.
Arnaud and Gulf War veteran Scott Morrison are the newest residents of the Tunnel to Towers Let Us Do Good Village at 5334 Parkway Blvd., the Laker/Lutz News reported Thursday, July 10. They are among 11 heroes who have moved into the village in 2026, bringing the community to nearly 30 families.
The village will eventually feature close to 100 homes gifted to catastrophically injured veterans, first responders and Gold Star and Fallen First Responder families, according to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
A spinal injury and a home built to fit her needs
Arnaud enlisted in the Navy on May 5, 2013, inspired by her husband, a Marine Corps veteran. She worked on pre-commissioning ships, preparing them for deployment. During a shipboard assignment, she suffered a fall that caused a spinal cord injury, complex regional pain syndrome, frozen shoulder, hand contractures, drop foot and osteonecrosis. After years of surgery, she chose to amputate her leg nearly a decade after the original injury.
Living in a two-story home made daily life a battle.
"My kid's bedrooms were upstairs, and I couldn't always get upstairs," Arnaud said. "I had to force myself to wear my prosthetic to get around my house, which kept me from healing properly."
Her new smart home gives her greater mobility and safety, and the financial relief has allowed Arnaud and her husband to focus on her recovery and their children.
From Gulf War helicopter crew chief to Pennsylvania police officer
Morrison served in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in the 1990s as a helicopter crew chief stationed in Germany. After returning home, he became a K-9 handler and patrolman for the Industry Borough Police Department in Pennsylvania. During an encounter with a suspect, he broke his ankle. The injury worsened over years on the job and eventually forced him to retire. Multiple surgeries followed, and he often relies on a scooter to get around.
Morrison is relocating from Pennsylvania to Florida to join the village community.
Foundation aims for 343 homes to honor 9/11 anniversary
Frank Siller, chairman and chief executive of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, said the homes represent fresh starts for both recipients. The foundation has delivered more than 1,700 mortgage-free homes nationwide and committed more than $1 billion to its programs, according to a March 27 foundation announcement.
The village opened a new Amenity Center on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, featuring an accessible swimming pool, outdoor kitchen, playground, basketball and pickleball courts, fitness center, movie theater, game room and business center.
In a March 27 press release, the foundation announced a 2026 goal of delivering 343 mortgage-free homes, one for each FDNY firefighter lost on Sept. 11, 2001, in tribute to the attacks' 25th anniversary. Children of home recipients are also offered full scholarships for undergraduate degrees and accredited trade school programs.
More information about the village is available at T2T.org.
