Foundation gives homes to gold-star families

Through tears, Brandy Carver spoke about Marine Lance Cpl. Ross Steven Carver, the husband she lost while he was on patrol in Afghanistan in 2010. Part of their plan was to own a home. That dream will soon come true for Brandy and her son, William.

The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation announced the gold star family home program, which will provide mortgage-free homes to surviving military spouses and their young children, according to CEO Frank Siller.

When a member of the military is killed, their family is given only a year of on-base housing before they have to move and find a place of their own. All the women present at the announcement have gone through that.

Monique Stevens said her husband, Lance Cpl. Steve Stevens, died during combat in 2012 while saving the life of a fellow Marine. Their son was just 3 months old. She had to drop out of school and get a job to provide for her son.

The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation has given away 10 homes so far to surviving military spouses under the gold star program. Six more are in various stages of construction.

Brandy and her son will eventually move into their new home in North Carolina, where she can continue telling William about the father he lost when he was just 5 months old and how much of an American hero he truly was.