"Many hands make light work."

Last weekend, 230 hands made light work of laying sod at the future home of U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Johnny Morris II in Elberta.

On Saturday morning, Jan. 13, 115 volunteers braved the cold and windy morning to participate in the Homes For Our Troops Volunteer Day.

The many hands managed to lay an entire lawn, front and back, in just one hour. According to the landscaping crew, a lawn that size would take a typical crew four hours.

But why were 115 volunteers from across the region sodding a yard in Elberta?

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Johnny Morris II sustained severe injuries to both of his legs, including the amputation of his left foot, after he stepped on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2011. After rehabilitation at Walter Reed Medical Center, he returned to North Carolina, but once he was
medically retired, he returned to his home state of Alabama.

The home Morris shares with his wife, Natalie, and two children, Gage and Gabby, is a 1950s-era home in Mobile. The doorways, hallways and kitchen are narrow, and the shower is small. After a long day of wearing his prosthetic, Morris wants nothing more than to come home, kick off his shoe and leg, get into his wheelchair and relax. In his current home, he can't.

In early 2023, it was announced that Morris had been selected by Homes For Our Troops to receive a specially adapted, mortgage-free home. The community celebrated with a project kick-off April 1, 2024.

THE HOME

Home For Our Troops, a national nonprofit, has built over 350 specially adapted, accessible and mortgage-free homes for injured soldiers since 2004.

The Morris home, like all HFOT homes, sits on land purchased in the town of the soldier's choosing. Morris and his wife grew up in Baldwin County and graduated from Robertsdale High School. They chose Elberta, and HFOT secured a 3-acre parcel to build the 2,800-square-foot home.

Each HFOT home features a FEMA-rated safe room for tornadoes and hurricanes, wide doorways and hallways, roll-in showers, roll-under sinks, lower countertops and pull-down shelving among other special adaptations.

SNEAK PEEK

All morning, volunteers were sneaking peeks through the Morris home windows.

The exterior of the home was professionally landscaped and features a wide concrete sidewalk that wraps around the entire structure.

"Everything inside is handicap accessible," Natalie Morris said. "Out here, the sidewalks go all the way around the house. He (Johnnie) can go anywhere in his wheelchair. He can even roll out to the mailbox safely and back. He will be able to do anything he wants and rest his leg."

Morris' 10-year-old daughter, Gabby, said she is excited about her new room and going to a new school with old friends. The area is full of family and old friends. Morris's son, Gabe, was too busy enjoying the day with friends to give Gulf Coast Media a quote, but Morris said both children are excited to move into their new home and be closer to old friends.

Alyssa Brown and her three children, Warner, 4, Maizy, 6, and Everly, 8, braved the cold to lay sod despite the sod being bigger than the children. Brown and her family live five minutes down the road.

"We have been friends with Johnnie and Natalie for a long time," Brown said. "The kids have grown up with their kids, and we wanted to be here to help."

Kyle Spar of Elberta brought his wife and 3-year-old daughter out to help. His small daughter took a few minutes to warm up to the idea of touching the sod. Spar was helping because he, too, is a good friend of the Morrises.

"This is great," Spar said. "When you have 50 to 100 people lay sod, it goes a lot quicker."

The volunteer demographic at the event ranged from toddlers to seniors in their prime. Every person, small and tall, worked together to support their neighbor, brother, friend and soldier.

Robert Bean, the general contractor on the project, said the project has gone smoothly, and he estimates that his crew will be complete in three weeks. Homes For Our Troops is estimating that the key ceremony will happen sometime in early March.

A GRATEFUL FAMILY

When asked what it was like seeing so many people come out to help, Morris said, "It is awesome. It is kind of humbling, you know. Having all these people come out and hang out and help us get it going."

Morris said he and the kids are excited but that he thinks Natalie is the most excited about the new home.

"She picked all the tile and most everything," Morris said. "I think the only thing I picked was the floor because she couldn't make a decision. It looks great, and it is all because of her."

Both Morris and Natalie explained the entire experience to this point as surreal. Morris said he is still having a hard to believing he is worthy, but Natalie knows firsthand why he is deserving.

When asked what the highlight of this experience has been for her, Natalie said, "Realizing how lucky we are that someone would give such a gift to Johnnie and our whole family. Every time we come here, we can't believe it. I didn't do anything to deserve it, but Johnnie did a lot. You don't think about that too often, what he went through, but things like this you are like he did do a really big thing. He deserves to be somewhere where he can live comfortably and relax. This will make his life so much easier."