A national nonprofit is paying off the mortgage of the Virginia home where the family of a firefighter who was killed on the job earlier this year lives.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation announced it’s covering the mortgage for the home where Trevor Brown’s family lives. Brown was a former Marine and was killed in the line of duty as a Sterling volunteer firefighter in February.
The foundation was launched after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and works to serve the needs of fallen first responders’ families, Gold Star families and “catastrophically injured” military and first responders, according to Larry Olson, senior vice president of marketing and communications with the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
In honor of Veterans Day on Monday, the foundation announced it’s paying off 40 mortgages — 37 for Gold Star families and three for first responders’ families.
“Mortgages are everyone’s largest financial burden,” Olson said. “That’s not unique to the Brown family, but it is particularly difficult when you’ve got the tragic occurrence of a death, particularly of a young parent with young kids.”
On Feb. 16, Brown was part of the team investigating the report of a gas leak at a Sterling, Virginia, home. Then, the home exploded, killing Brown and injuring 11 others.
Brown, 45, is survived by his wife and three kids, and the nonprofit is covering the rest of the mortgage for the Virginia home they shared, according to a news release.
“By lifting the financial burden of a mortgage off her shoulders, she felt like that was going to give her the opportunity to grieve and to get the counseling that she and her family needs and start on the long road to rebuilding her life,” Olson said.
In a statement, Brown’s wife said she’s grateful for the help, and that “this is a huge burden off us that will allow us to focus on grieving, counseling and picking ourselves up.”
In October, service technician Roger Bentley was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the incident. He was inspecting a 500-pound underground propane tank and told the homeowner to allow the hazardous material to “seep out of the ground and be on their merry way,” according to an affidavit.
The nonprofit helps pay off the mortgages by collecting monthly $11 donations, Olson said. They’re helping to provide over 200 mortgage-free homes this year.
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