SFC Shaun Tichenor

Sunset, LA

Shaun Tichenor knew from a young age that he wanted to serve in the Army. He enlisted in 1997 during his junior year of high school and departed for basic training just two weeks after graduation.

On April 23, 2011, Sergeant First Class Tichenor was serving as an Infantryman with 2nd Platoon, Combat Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan when he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED). He sustained severe injuries, resulting in a below-the-knee amputation of his right leg, neck and back damage, and bilateral hearing loss.

He was medically evacuated to Kandahar Airfield for immediate treatment before transferring to Landstuhl, Germany. Stateside, he underwent additional surgeries at Womack Army Medical Center, where his leg was amputated. He spent nearly a year at Walter Reed Medical Center undergoing rehabilitation therapy. Shaun returned to active duty for nine years before retiring in 2021.

Shaun and his wife, Allison, share a blended family of five children. Shaun enjoys hunting, fishing, and maintaining an active fitness routine, with additional interests in target shooting and pickleball.

Shaun’s current home environment presents significant barriers to mobility due to its lack of accessibility. Because of narrow hallways, doorways, and other physical barriers, he is unable to move freely throughout the home or fully participate in everyday activities. “If I’m in my wheelchair in my house, I’m confined to the living room,” he says.

In a specially adapted custom HFOT home, Shaun will have access to every room in a single-level, barrier-free environment. Wider hallways and doorways will allow him to navigate independently in his wheelchair, while the accessible layout will enable him to perform daily tasks and participate in family activities without assistance.

Originally from Minnesota, Shaun is choosing to build his home in Louisiana, where he currently resides.

Shaun credits the generosity of HFOT donors and supporters with providing a life-changing opportunity for increased freedom and mobility. “I don’t think thank you is enough. Your support takes such a weight off of a Veteran’s shoulders and restores my faith in humanity. I promise to HFOT donors that I will pay it forward any way that I can and find more ways to give to the Veteran community to make their life a little bit easier,” he says.

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