7/29/2019 Remodel to give fresh start to paralyzed Navy officer, who also decides to come out

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Remodel to give fresh start to paralyzed Navy officer, who alsodecides to come outSDGLN exclusive

 

SAN DIEGO – A paralyzed Navy officer from San Diego will be getting a helping hand from a group of local college tudentand volunteer! who are planning an e"tenive remodel to ma#e hi houe uitable for hi need a a diabled homeowner

and veteran$

Navy %omdr$ &rian Edgar Delaney! who i till active duty! wa everely in'ured about nine month ago in a motorcycleaccident that evered hi pinal cord! leaving him paralyzed from the armpit down$ (e wa in intenive care for more than amonth! and endured many wee# in recovery$ A oon a he wa able! Delaney turned over command of the amphibiou

doc# landing hip )SS (arper *erry +,SD -./ to %mdr$ Stephen 0ame Ilteri during an April 11 ceremony at Naval &aeSan Diego! which i the homeport of the hip$

A fresh start, all around

2he remodel will mar# a freh tart for Delaney a well a hi partner of 13 year! *ran# (aven!

who have decided that it i the right time to come out to their family! friend! neighbor and militarycolleague$ In a video about the remodeling pro'ect! viewer meet the couple and Delaney4 mom!

who ac#nowledge her concern on how coming out would impact her on4 military career while

pointing out how (aven couldn4t go to Delaney4 military event all thee year while the naval

officer wa in the cloet$

Delaney graduated from the )$S$ 5erchant 5arine Academy in 1..3! and ha erved a a *irtDiviion Officer! %ombat Sytem Officer! Operation Officer! E"ecutive Officer and eventually

%ommanding Officer of the USS Harpers Ferry! the lead hip of her cla of landing hip doc#$

(e ha completed deployment to the Arabian Gulf! volunteered for a tour in Ira6 to upport

Operation Ira6i *reedom! and earned hi mater degree in tranportation management$

During hi naval career! Delaney wa well7regarded! and the change of command ceremony drew

8ice Adm$ 2om %opeman! %ommander! Naval Surface *orce! )$S$ 9acific *leet$ %opeman hailed Delaney a a :true

mariner$: Delaney ended hi ;<7month tour aboard (arper *erry! the firt => month a e"ecutive officer and the final 1<month a commanding officer$ (e guided hi crew through an 1?7month E"tended Doc#ing 9hae 5aintenance Avail

program! a the hip got a complete overhaul of more than =>> ytem at a tune of @=> million$

EN BI,,IA5S 7 SDG,N EDI2OC IN %(IE*

September =-th! =>1;

5OCE 9(O2OS

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7/29/2019 Remodel to give fresh start to paralyzed Navy officer, who also decides to come out

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Chosen for Embrace's Healing Our Heroes' Homes proect

2he philanthropic group!Embrace! choe Delaney through it (ealing Our (eroe4 (ome program$ Organizer ay the

value of the remodel! for labor and upplie! i etimated at @?3!>>>$ Bor# on the group4 eventh pro'ect i cheduled to bedone Oct$ 17=1! ma#ing the couple4 home compliable with American Diabilitie Act +ADA/ tandard$

“)pon meeting %ommander Delaney! hi family and urveying their home! I immediately #new that we4d be doing all would

could to help ma#e life a little eaier for &rian! aid Sean Sheppard! %EO of Embrace$ FOur volunteer and ponor aree"tremely e"cited to erve thi member of our armed force$

Bor#er will remodel the #itchen to intall ADA7compliant cabinet and countertop! allowing Delaney to prepare meal orwah dihe while uing hi motorized wheelchair$ Camp will be intalled and door will be widened to allow eay

movement for Delaney$ 2he video how a flimy ramp at the front door! which i barely wide enough to allow Delaney

navigate hi wheelchair$

Other change will include upgrade to the front yard and bac#yard! improvement to the mater bedroom and guet

bedroom! and ma#ing the barbecue pit wheelchair7acceible$

!avy officer says he feels blessed

:2hi remodel will be uch an amazing bleing!: Delaney aid$ :A lot of little thing that we ued to ta#e for granted are now

cauing u a lot of tre and aggravation$ Bith the remodel all of thoe thing are getting ta#en care of! allowing u to focu

on other thing uch a our relationhip and our family +Comie and 0o#er our pit bull/$:

In the video! Delaney ay he i grateful to Embrace for chooing to overhaul hi home to become wheelchair7friendly$ (e

alo get cho#ed up tal#ing about the upport he ha gotten from hi parent and hi longtime partner ince the motorcycle

accident abruptly and permanently altered hi life$

:2he firt coherent converation that I had with *ran#H it wa pretty much! I #now you are paralyzed! I dont care! were going

to get through thi! Im not leaving you!: Delaney ay! hi voice growing increaingly emotional until he cho#e up$ :$$$

(aving my parent do that! and with *ran#H being there to upport me! it really! really gave me the drive to ma#e it! to #now

that he want going to leave me becaue I could not move my leg$:

9eople li#e Delaney i what Embrace i all about$ 2he group (ealing Our (eroe4 (ome program focue on helping

retore the home of diabled veteran! and organizer mobilize college tudent! local reident and other volunteer to

erve le fortunate member of both civilian and veteran communitie$ 2he goal i to create a multicultural! multi7ethnic

ervice learning e"perience for all who volunteer$

Delaney aid Embrace i tepping forward 6uic#ly! unli#e hi e"perience with the 8eteran Adminitration$

:2he 8A ha mean with which we could remodel our home but a alway there i red tape$ Ive been trying to get theproce going ince 0anuary and I wa nowhere cloe when Embrace contacted u$ So not only i thi an amazing bleing!

it i alo happening o much fater than I had ever dreamed!: Delaney aid$

:Bhat Embrace i doing for veteran and for all of San Diego i amazing$ *or no other reaon or motive other than the

#indne of their heart and deire to help out their fellow man$ It i heartening to #now there are till genuinely good people

in thi world$:

Delaney aid the remodel will ma#e hi life eaier$

:2he treor weve had to deal with!: Delaney ay in the video! e"preing how an ADA7compliant #itchen and bathroom

will change thing for him$

:2hi i huge for me! ma#e me feel almot human again! intead of thi thing in a wheelchair!: he ay$ :It huge$ It

amazing$:

Ken Williams is Editor in Chief of SDGLN. He can be reached at ken@sdgln.com, @KenSanDiego on Titter, or b! callingtoll"free to ###"$$%"&'(&, e)t. *+(.