Tim McGraw, A Free Home And A Puppy Greets Veteran Family
The Connors didn't expect to see Tim McGraw on the other side of the door. (
Watch the video of the surprise.) But, as a special surprise, the country superstar waited for them as they came to view their new home, provided mortgage-free in a special partnership with
McGraw,
Chase and our
Homes on the Homefront program. The Connors recently received their home in Rhode Island recently and meeting McGraw was icing on the cake. But there was more...waiting in the backyard for their little girl, was a brand new puppy as well. Operation Homefront is honored to be a part of this special program which makes American dreams come true for so many of our military families.
Learn more about the Connor family:Growing up in Hopedale, Mass., Shaun Connor always wanted to do something important with his life. After years of working different jobs in construction and warehouse work, bouncing around in different locations, he decided to make a change. So in 2007, he chose to fight for his country and enlisted in the Army.
Shortly after graduation of basic training, Shaun was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).
After returning home from his OIF tour in 2008, he had a short turnaround before he went right back out, but not before marrying his wife Allysse in April of 2008. In 2009, the Army Artilleryman left for his second tour in as many years. While in Iraq, Shaun suffered a leg injury, which eventually led to his medical retirement from the service.
Currently Shaun and Allysse live in Harrisville, R.I. with their daughter Molly. Both Shaun and Allysse are going to school full time and Shaun hopes to use his prospective degree in criminology to get a job working for the government after graduation.
The new home for Shaun and his family has multiple reasons for its importance. Not only is it close to where Allysse is going to school, but it will save them money, but it will give the family a place where they can make improvements and changes without having to worry about a landlord or property manager.
“It’s important to us to have a place that we can grow as a family and make our own,” said Shaun. “We have always wanted to be able to live in a place where we can do things for ourselves, like getting a puppy for my daughter. I am super excited about the home. We never thought we would ever have the opportunity to own a home, especially anytime soon, we are extremely grateful to be given this opportunity at a fresh start.”