Cpl Timothy J. REad

Wesley Chapel, FL

Mission Accomplished on Aug. 29, 2020

 

Timothy Read always knew he wanted to be a Marine. He left for boot camp the summer following his high school graduation in 2007.

He first deployed to Iraq in 2009 and then again to Afghanistan in 2010. During his second deployment, on Oct. 15, 2010, he was on patrol with the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines in Marjah, Afghanistan, when he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED). The blast resulted in the loss of his left leg above the knee in addition to other injuries. He served and recovered with fellow HFOT home recipient Julian Torres.

He underwent numerous surgeries and rigorous rehabilitation therapies at Walter Reed Medical Center, Balboa Navy Medical Hospital, and the VA in Tampa.  While being treated in Tampa, he met his wife Anh Lan Du, who works in the hospital’s prosthetics department.

Now medically retired, Timothy enjoys weight lifting, mechanics, working on cars, and off-road rally racing. He is currently pursuing a degree in software engineering at St. Leo University and plans to use this degree, along with his mechanical background, to work on newer models of cars. He would like to create his own nonprofit race team to help raise money and awareness for organizations that helped him, like Homes For Our Troops. As a former Eagle Scout, Timothy would like to get involved with the Boy Scouts. Living mortgage-free in a home adapted to his injuries helps him with these aspirations.

In his previous home, the kitchen cabinets and counters were too high for him while in his wheelchair and he did not have an accessible shower. Anh was often afraid he would trip or fall when she was not home. Timothy’s Homes For Our Troops home equipped with pull down shelves and a roll-in shower alleviate this burden. The mortgage-free home also provides a stable foundation for Timothy and Anh to start a family. “Just being in a home, raising our family together and building our nonprofit – that will be the best thing to happen,” Timothy says.

Originally from Mississippi, Timothy chose to build his home outside Tampa, for the rural feel of the area.

Timothy is grateful to HFOT’s donors and supporters who contributed to the building of his specially adapted custom home, and he promises he will not take this gift for granted. “I have witnessed the transformation of many Veterans who received a HFOT home. Thank you for your continued support,” he says.

related articles:

  • ABC Action News, Feb. 11, 2019 Marine Cpl Timothy Read was in Afghanistan on October 15, 2010, when he stepped on a homemade explosive and lost his left leg. Because of his remarkable service, college pursuits and desire to help other Veterans like himself, the non-profit Homes For Our Troops selected Read to be the recipient of a new house. Read more.