Army Corporal and Wounded Warrior Receives Home from Chase
Army Cpl. Jonathan Albrecht has seen a lot of hard times in his deployments to different war zones. He was all smiles recently as he received a mortgage-free home from
Chase and Operation Homefront as part of our Homes on the Homefront program.
Read the rest of his inspiring story: Albrecht could be considered the toughest of the tough. As an Airborne Ranger, he served twice in Afghanistan and once in Iraq.
During those tours, he’s been stabbed in hand-to-hand combat, suffered gunshot wounds and been riddled with shrapnel. With each injury, the self-professed, stubborn soldier was patched up and sent back to the field with his men.
But when a 1,200-pound roadside bomb struck his vehicle, Albrecht suffered the injuries that would end his military career.
On Sept. 11, 2009, Albrecht’s unit rolled into a complex ambush. The bomb under his vehicle was just one of the blows the unit suffered. The enemy launched mortars and rocket propelled grenades. Six men died instantly. Albrecht was knocked unconscious and woke up in a hospital bed in Germany.
He had suffered eye damage as well as injuries to his back. Most days he cannot feel his legs and hands. He must wear sunglasses every day, all day, because light in his eyes causes extreme pain.
His wife Stephanie and their son came to visit him when they could. She lived nearby but her work schedule and his therapy schedule made it difficult for the family to spend time together.
Operation Homefront gave the family the means to be together again when they were able to move into one of the apartments at one of our wounded warrior Villages.
“I liked it a lot,” Albrecht said. “And the fact that they’ve included the family in everything is great.”
Since moving into the village, the family has welcomed a baby girl, and are now expecting another addition later this year. Doctors told Albrecht his injuries would prevent him from having any more children. Once again, this stubborn soldier has proved them wrong.
Albrecht said he would prefer to return to duty but Army doctors have nixed that plan. He said living at the Operation Village has relieved some of the stress he felt living at the hospital and given him time to plan his future, like moving into their new home.
“Now I’m able to think about the next step and able to see what needs to be done to take care of my family,” he said. “I can’t wait to move into the new home. It is a true blessing and we can’t thank Operation Homefront and Chase enough for everything they have done. This new home will be a great place for my family to settle and grow as we look forward to what the future brings.”