Page 1 - Aerotech 6-5-15

Community celebrates ‘Alive Day’ with Hancock family
CZ-JOEB,$3FZOPMET
staff writer
Nearly 200 people gathered May 29 to cel-
ebrate “Alive Day” with U.S. Army Spec. Jerral
Hancock and welcomed his family into their new
“Smart Home.”
Equipped with an iPad that can control lights,
window shades, temperature and security camer-
as, Hancock will be able to live as independently
Photograph by Linda KC Reynolds Formed Penetrator hit his M-1 tank, leaving him
-HUUDO+DQFRFNDQGKLV¿DQFpH$GULDQD*RQ]DOH]
check out Hancock’s new home with William
Wagasy, a Navy Seal and Outreach Director for
the Gary Sinise Foundation.
Julius Hancock, 11, gives his new bedroom a salute and a thumbs up along with family friend and
LA Times reporter Hailey Branson. When Julius feels like camping he will hang out in his bottom
bunk, otherwise he will be sleeping up high on the top.
+VOF
r7PMVNF
*TTVF Serving the aerospace industry since 1986
www.aerotechnews.com
as possible. Photograph courtesy Gary Sinise Foundation
“I’ve always had a Type-A personality so ask-
Jerral Hancock receives a birthday cake from daughter Anastasia and students of Operation All
ing someone to turn on or off the lights was pretty the Way Home “OATH” during a “Smart Home” dedication May 29.
hard for me,” said Hancock sitting next to his new
¿UHSODFH³,RIWHQNHSWWKHPEXUQLQJDOOQLJKWEH- ing softly and holding onto her emotions. “This students) and what an amazing thing it was to see
cause I didn’t want to bother anyone. It may sound is a perfect example of what can happen when them grow so much in two years. “Nichole (Skin-
trivial but it is a big deal to be able to control the people—students and the community come to- ner) wouldn’t speak in front of people, now look
little things in your house.” JHWKHU7KHVLJQL¿FDQFHRIWKLVGD\0D\LV at her!” He said he is nobody special, just a soldier
really, very special.” doing his job—who was at the wrong place at the
It was eight years to the date that Hancock wrong time.
was severely injured in Iraq when an Explosive Architect John Svalbe of AV Engineering and
builder Craig Fries of Medallion Contracting were “It’s very overwhelming and amazing, espe-
burnt, without a left arm, paralyzed from the among the guest speakers saying it was an hon- FLDOO\IRU-HUUDO´VDLG+DQFRFN¶V¿DQFpH$GULDQD
chest down and with limited use of his right arm. or to be a part of the experience, often working Gonzalez while learning how to use the iPad to
It was his 21st birthday. throughout the night with headlamps. control the house. “The mobile home we live
in now, or lived in,” she corrects herself, “he
“May 29 is not only his birthday, it is his “It’s a little hard to believe this day is here, I couldn’t go into the kid’s rooms to say good night.
“Alive Day,” said his mother, Stacie Tscherny. haven’t quite put my head around it-it’s going to Now he can hang out with them on his terms. I’m
A house was also built on the same property for take a minute,” said Hancock. He talked about just so happy to see him so happy.”
Stacie and her husband Derrick Tscherny and how thankful he was to all of his kids (OATH
daughter, Savannah, since they are Jerral’s main Anastasia
caregivers. “The houses—everything here is just Hancock,
beautiful; we can’t thank everyone enough,” she 8, loves her
said. new “Frozen”
bedroom and
Two years ago, Lancaster High School history is happy that
teacher Jamie Goodreau invited Hancock to speak her dad can
to her students about his experience. now read a
bedtime story
Discovering that Hancock was a single fa- to her in her
ther living in a crowded mobile home with his own room.
son Julius, now 11, and daughter, Anastasia, 8,
the students had an instant bond with the good-
natured soldier who inspired them about life. They
took a vote and created “Operation All The Way
Home—“OATH” to build a special home for their
new friend and mentor. The students soon raised
more than $200,000. After seeing reports of the
students’ mission, Gary Sinise and his foundation
became partners.
“We are so excited that Jerral is in a home that
meets all of his needs,” said Goodreau, speak-
Photograph by Linda KC Reynolds Photograph by Linda KC Reynolds
Use your smartphone to connect to
our Website.
www.facebook.com/aerotechnews