Disabled veteran gifted new home in Baytown

BAYTOWN, Texas – Typically the day a person closes on a home or signs a lease on an apartment, it’s only the owner and a few loved ones welcomed into the new space. For the Munoz family, that was not the case.

Led in by a motorcycle and surrounded by American flags, Javier Munoz, fiancée Jennifer Kirk and therapy dog Bella arrived at their new home in Baytown.

“Once we receive word from U.S. Bank that a home is available we reach out to our network,” Tom Kilgannon said.

Kilgannon is president of Freedom Alliance, a national military support organization. He was there to present the ceremonial key to the house along with Javier’s mortgage payment.

“Zero. It is a mortgage-free home so he doesn't have to pay anything. The way it works is that for the first two years he’s going to lease it from Freedom Alliance, that is an extension of the approval process and so we require him to pay one dollar a month in lease payments,” Kilgannon said. “When you receive a gift like this, there’s a commitment on Javier’s part. We ask him to live in this home for a number of years, to be the primary resident. To be a good neighbor and a good community servant and I know he’s going to do all that and do it in spades.”

You see, all of this is happening because of Javier’s nearly 16 years of service in the U.S. Army primarily as a combat medic.

“I remember when ‘shock and awe’ happened and I knew I wanted to be there,” recalls Javier. “I thought oh cool, I’ll get a cush job, work in a hospital. No, I went and worked with a sniper recon team, 1-24 infantry out of Ft. Lewis, Washington, and that was the most satisfying job I’ve ever had. Working with those guys, they’re family. We saw a lot of action. Things that I never thought I’d expect to see but you know it’s part of the job.”

Kilgannon said Munoz still carries with him the wounds of war, which will be with him for a lifetime.

“A few months ago I had a buddy who committed suicide. Posted his letter, his suicide note on Facebook and instantly we were all picking up the phones calling each other, making sure that we were good,” Munoz said. “What helps me is the support I get from Jennifer, from our dog, from my mom, my brother, my father, her dad, Margaret, friends and family. You have to be around people like that to help you out because you can’t do it all on your own.”

It helps that his fiancée is a veteran herself.

“My father suggested when I was 19, he says ‘you ever thought about joining the Air Force’ and I was like no, but let’s go,” Jennifer said.

Twenty years later, she retired from active duty and is now engaged to Javier. 

Though they share a military background, that’s actually not what brought them together.

“I looked at one of his pictures and I saw this black hat with SF on the top and I said ‘are you a San Francisco Giants fan? And he asked (while) we were texting, and he goes ‘are you a Dodgers fan’? (Cause Dodgers and Giants fans, are a no) so we’re both Giants fans so yes. Yes,” Jennifer said.

In 2015 Javier’s military career ended earlier than he expected when he was medically retired with a 90 percent disability rating.

“I’ve got nerve damage in my peripheral nerves and it’s called CIDP, that’s a nerve thing, and then I’ve had five ankle surgeries,” Munoz said.  “I wanted to do over 20 years. I always envisioned myself being that old crusty sergeant major just bitter but still running, still fit.”

He says it’s OK now and he plans to pursue his love of cooking.

“The beef chorizo hamburgers, he makes sliders, pork sliders, he does what is it pork (oh, pulled pork, yeah) everything,” Jennifer said.

“I’m going to be looking for culinary schools, (to) see what programs are offered,” Munoz said.

Even after all the festivities, it’s still not quite real for the couple. Perhaps when Javier cooks that first meal. Or maybe something else.

“The first day that we come moving boxes in, bringing in groceries, picking up Bella’s poop in the backyard, that’s real. I’m like ‘yep we’re here," Munoz said with a laugh.

As for what that first meal will be in the house, Javier doesn't know at this point. He says he hopes to be inspired during move-in.