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Army Sgt. Noe "Lito" Santos Dilone
The national nonprofit organization, Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) is holding a Community “Kickoff” for the building of a specially adapted custom home for Army Sgt. Noe “Lito” Santos Dilone.
The event is happening on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at Kissimmee Christian Church (415 N. Main St.)
On Sept. 6, 2005, Sgt. Dilone was the lead gunner of a convoy traveling in Baghdad, Iraq when his vehicle drove over multiple improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Two fellow soldiers were killed instantly, and Lito lost his left leg at the hip and sustained hearing loss.
On the ill-fated Sept. 11, 2001, Lito was a high school senior living only a few miles away from the World Trade Center in Queens, N.Y. Witnessing the horrific events unfold so close to home motivated him to join the U.S. Army to serve his country.
He is the father of two and must often resort to using a wheelchair for extended periods. It is difficult to navigate through his current apartment with a wheelchair, and he can tire rapidly.
“It takes genuine, good-hearted people to donate time and resources toward such a great cause. It doesn’t go unnoticed. I am friends with several Veterans whose lives have taken a different, much better path since being part of the HFOT family,” Lito stated on the organization’s website.
The home being built for Sgt. Dilone will feature more than 40 major special adaptations such as widened doorways for wheelchair access, a rollin shower, and kitchen amenities that include pulldown shelving and lowered countertops. The home will also alleviate the mobility and safety issues associated with a traditional home, including navigating a wheelchair through narrow hallways or over thresholds or reaching for cabinets that are too high.
Homes For Our Troops has built over 345 homes since the organization’s inception in 2004. HFOT relies on contributions from donors, supporters, and corporate partners for the building of each Veteran’s home.
To find out more about Sgt. Dilone’s story and Homes For Our Troops and watch the video at www.hfotusa.org/dilone.
“It takes genuine, good-hearted people to donate time and resources toward such a great cause.”
— ARMY SGT. NOE “LITO” SANTOS DILONE
