Natural Stone Institute Completes 38th R.I.S.E Home

OBERLIN, Ohio —Natural Stone Institute members provided natural stone and fabrication services for the 38th home constructed in cooperation with the Gary Sinise Foundation through its R.I.S.E. (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment) program.

GSF Jacobs Daniel “Doc” Jacobs and family. (Photo courtesy Natural Stone Foundation)Natural stone and fabrication for U.S. Navy Petty Officer Second Class Daniel “Doc” Jacobs and his family in Vista, Calif., were provided by Pacific Shore Stones and Marjan Stone.

The Foundation’s R.I.S.E. program builds 100% mortgage-free specially adapted smart homes for severely wounded veterans and first responders

A 2004 enlistee, Jacobs received a year of Navy hospital corpsman training and then assigned to a unit serving in Ramadi, Iraq. On February 25, 2006, six months into his seven-month deployment, Jacobs was in an IED explosion which took two lives, left two soldiers as amputees, and resulted in other serious injuries. Despite his own injuries (including a broken back and neck, and the loss of fingers)  he tended to the wounds of other soldiers, and received a Bronze Star with valor for his actions that day.

Within three days of the incident, he was transferrred to National Naval Medical Center Bethesda in Maryland via Landstuhl, Germany. After three months in Bethesda receiving critical surgeries, he began outpatient recovery and transferred to Naval Medical Center San Diego.

Jacobs worked to become the Navy’s first amputee Corpsman and of all Navy Personnel to return to a in-the-field infantry unit. However, after several jaw surgeries left metal in his face and mouth, he was deemed undeployable by the Navy. Soon after, he chose to retire from the Navy to pursue dreams and goals in other areas of life. He’s also the author of There and Back Again: Stories From a Combat Navy Corpsman.

Companies interested in getting involved with future projects are encouraged to email rise@naturalstoneinstitute.org. To learn more, and to see a list of all Natural Stone Institute members who have donated their time, products, and services to this cause, visit www.naturalstoneinstitute.org/RISE.


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