Junior Brandon Puente has been in a wheel chair for most of his life. He was born with a condition called Spina Bifida and for him, each day is a challenge. It is a struggle to get his wheel chair down the narrow hallways in the home he shares with his parents and grandmother. It is a struggle to get into and out of the small bathtub that is low to the floor. Twice a month, Brandon’s parents try to rent a hotel room with an oversized tub so he enjoy a relaxing bath, but in November, they will no longer need to do this.
Brandon’s father began talking with local contractors about paying for a home to be built for his family last year; however, in February he was given some good news. The Amarillo Community Extreme Makeover Organization (ACEM) selected the Puente family to receive a brand new, custom built, handicap accessible home.
“I was so happy [when I found out] that I almost cried,” Brandon said. “I feel anxious and thankful. I am really grateful so many people are coming forth to help me.”
ACEM immediately began asking members of the community to donate money, materials and labor and they began construction on the home, located in City View, in March.
“We have had a great response from our community so far,” project manager Kristen Coffee said. “The city of Amarillo and the people in it have a heart just as big as Brandon’s.”
ACEM is working to get enough donations to cover the cost of the entire project; however, Brandon’s family will have to pay the remainder of whatever they cannot get funded.
“We are prepared to pay the balance,” Brandon’s dad Anthony Puente said. “However, it would be really nice to be debt free.”
The new home will have a larger shower, lower cabinets and sinks, no hallways and wider doors.
“Everything is wider and bigger,” Brandon said. “All the rooms are connected which will make it much easier for me.”
Although Brandon said he is excited about the new accessibility, there is one room in particular he absolutely cannot wait for.
“There’s going to be a game room,” Brandon said. “It’s going to have a 70 inch LAD TV, with a 40 inch TV on each side of it. Each TV will have a gaming system hooked up to it so I will have an Xbox, Playstation and a Wii all in the same room. ”
The house, which is being built by Dominion Homes, has already been framed and bricked. They are currently working to complete the inside. As the anticipation builds, Brandon and his family show excitement to see its completion.
“We pass by the house two or three times a day,” Brandon said. “I can’t wait to relax and watch football on my big screen. I’m not going to want to go to school now.”
ACEM has set up a bank account at Happy State Bank for members of the community to donate towards the cost of Brandon’s new home. Checks can be made to ACEM. For those who would like to donate materials or labor can email the ACEM office at [email protected] or call Coffee at 336-7604 or Candace Norris at 374-1976. Once the home is completed, it will be open to the public for viewing for four weekends. Private Citizens or businesses who donate will be advertised in the home during that time.
“Whether you donate $5 or $1000, it will not go unnoticed,” Coffee said. “I hope people will help be a part of this dream to give (Brandon) a home big enough for his unique chair.”
