A local United States Army veteran will receive the keys to his mortgage-free home in Sapphire Point at Lakewood Ranch, a Pulte Homes community, in a special dedication ceremony. The new home will be donated through national homebuilder PulteGroup’s Built to Honor® program and Building Homes for Heroes, a partnership which provides the gift of a new home to deserving veterans and their families across the country. The mortgage-free Pulte home was built in partnership with national homebuilder PulteGroup’s Built to Honor® program and non-profit veteran support organization, Building Homes for Heroes. Launched in 2013, PulteGroup’s Built to Honor® program has awarded more than 75 mortgage-free homes to veterans and their families across the country.

Army Sergeant First Class Lucio Gaytan joined the military on Feb. 1, 1996, out of Imperial Beach, California. He was the first person in his family to serve in the military and has stated that there was no greater honor than to serve his country. After 22 years of service, he was honorably retired in February 2018. In 2005, SFC Gaytan was injured during a parachute jump while training for his deployment to Afghanistan. His sustained injuries from the severe landing fall include herniated discs, bulging discs, degenerative disk disease, a lumbar sacral injury from his L-1 down to his S-1, and spinal stenosis all in conjunction with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Despite his injuries, he completed his deployment overseas and continued to serve until he was physically unable. He medically retired after being transferred to the Warrior Transition Battalion. SFC Gaytan has undergone many medical procedures to help with his injuries, but still suffers from chronic pain and a traumatic brain injury (TBI), hearing loss and tinnitus. Despite his injuries, SFC Gaytan is a participant in adaptive sports, such as wheelchair basketball, wheelchair football and has even taken part in the Department of Defense (DoD) Warrior Games for Team SOCOM. For his service to his country, SFC Gaytan has been awarded several military honors, including the Bronze Star Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/ 4 Campaign Stars, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal w/ Campaign Star, Master Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge. The ceremony will take place Wednesday, July 12--9 a.m. guests begin to arrive, 10 a.m. dedication ceremony begins. Special motorcade procession to welcome U.S. Army veteran and family.

Sapphire Point at Lakewood Ranch, 16411 Sapphire Point Drive, Lakewood Ranch, Fla. 34211. 

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