1SG Daniel Wallace

Montrose, CO

Mission Accomplished on June 3, 2023

 
In 1985, Daniel “Danny” Wallace enlisted in the Army seeking to change his attitude and outlook on life.  He liked what he found, and decided to make it a career.

On Dec. 9, 2003, 1SG Wallace was serving as the First Sergeant of Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, in Tal Afar, Iraq, when he was injured in a suicide bomb blast. He sustained severe eye injuries, and was air evacuated from the blast site.

At Walter Reed National Military Medical Center doctors reattached his retinas, replaced his corneas, and performed additional treatments on his eyes and face. The damage left 1SG Wallace blind in the right eye and legally blind in the left with deteriorating vision.

After his injuries, Danny struggled with the fact that he no longer could serve. After attending a school for the blind, it took several years for him to find a new normal. While in the school, Danny met another injured Veteran who inspired him to do better and help others by joining the Blind Veterans Association, where he now serves by helping his fellow blind Veterans. In this position, he supports and advocates for other blind comrades through phone calls and outdoor rehabilitation trips. Danny dedicates much of his life to the association, and has the full support of his daughters, Melissa and Brittney, who have participated on trips as guides. He helps Veterans realize that life is not over, it is only beginning. “Our sight might be gone, but our vision is stronger than ever,” he is fond of saying.

After losing his eyesight, Danny found it increasingly challenging to navigate his previous home. He was relieved to learn about Homes For Our Troops through HFOT home recipients Army MSG Eric Marts and Army SPC Steve Baskis. Danny visited Steve’s HFOT home and was able to experience the hands-free accessibility features. With the open floorplan, he has regained his freedom and plans to make it a home base for other Veterans. He feels privileged to have received the gift of a specially adapted custom home. The independence Danny has regained gave himself and his wife, Kelly, the opportunity to spend time doing things they enjoy, like traveling.

Currently living in Grand Junction, Colorado, Danny and his family chose to remain in the state and build their home in Montrose.

Danny would like to thank HFOT donors and supporters for their help in this important mission. “What you are doing for Veterans and their families speaks volumes of your character and beliefs. How can one truly thank another for such a selfless act of kindness? You will never be forgotten.”