The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) has provided flooring for its 90th home in support of the Gary Sinise Foundation R.I.S.E. program (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment). The R.I.S.E. program builds mortgage-free, custom, specially adapted smart homes for severely wounded veterans and first responders. The home dedication for U.S. Marine Corps. Lance Corporal John “J.T.” Doody took place on July 16, 2026, in Parrish, Florida. Flooring for the project was donated by NWFA member Derr Flooring.
Lance Corporal Doody joined the Marines following the events of 9/11, deploying to Fallujah in Iraq. In 2008, he and his fellow Marines found themselves engaged in a vicious gun battle. A sniper shot him multiple times in his right thigh, calf, and shin. A final bullet traveled up his leg and tore through flesh and nerves, leaving a bullet hole the size of a fist. After recovering from his wounds, he started law school, but his injuries returned with a vengeance less than a year later.
“Unbeknownst to his doctors, a bacterial infection was growing around the lining of Lance Corporal Doody’s heart,” says Stephanie Owen, president and CEO of NWFA. “Sadly, a bacterial mass broke loose and traveled to his brain, triggering a series of strokes and causing him to slip into a coma. The results left him with severe brain injuries, quadriplegia, and cognitive blindness. We’re honored to partner with Derr Flooring to provide beautiful real wood floors for his new home.”
In addition to the 90 homes already completed, NWFA currently is working with its members to source wood flooring for 14 additional R.I.S.E. homes in various stages of planning and construction. Currently, 164 NWFA member companies have donated product, logistics, and installation services in locations throughout the United States, with a total value of more than $7 million. A list of all NWFA R.I.S.E. participating companies can be found at http://www.nwfa.org/giving-back.aspx.
To learn more about the program, and how you and/or your company can get involved, contact the NWFA at 800.422.4556, or e-mail them at anita.howard@nwfa.org.