Tunnel to Towers Foundation Delivers Mortgage-Free Smart Home to Injured Army VeteranĀ
Home Dedication Ceremony for Army Specialist Michael on Wednesday, May 21st
ROUND TOP, NEW YORK [May 22, 2025] — On Wednesday, May 21, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation as it proudly presented U.S. Army Specialist Michael Gaynor III with a mortgage-free, fully accessible smart home in Round Top, New York.Ā
SPC Gaynor enlisted in the Army at 18, inspired by his grandfatherās military service. In 2010, while deployed in Iraq with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, his Humvee rolled over and he suffered catastrophic injuries, including a severed spine, broken ribs, collapsed lungs, and a ruptured spleen. He was left paralyzed, and continues to receive outpatient care over a decade and a half after his injuries.
As he continues on his long road to recovery, he remains involved with the wheelchair sports federation, helping others with similar injuries stay active. Determined to make a difference, SPC Gaynor is working to establish a paralyzed veterans chapter in New York, using his personal experience to support and advocate for others.
āI want to advocate for those who canāt speak for themselvesā¦help those with newer injuries and give them advice from my decade of experience,ā said SPC Gaynor.
His apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan poses daily challenges because it lacks ADA-compliant features. Thanks to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation Smart Home Program, SPC Gaynor and his wife, Cyndy, will soon move into a brand-new, fully accessible home designed to meet his needs.
āI canāt wait for the independence this house will give me,ā said SPC Gaynor, āJust to be able to operate everything, to be able to reach everything, and get around easily.ā
Join us on May 21st as the Tunnel to Towers Foundation hands over the keys to his new mortgage-free smart homeāa life-changing moment for a true American hero.
The Tunnel to Towers Smart Home Program builds specially adapted, mortgage-free smart homes that help our most catastrophically injured first responders and Veterans.
These homes feature zero thresholds, motorized doors, and keyless entry for easier access. The homesā lights, temperature, security, and sound system can be controlled remotely via a smartphone app or touch screens throughout the house. Wide doors, hallways, and bathrooms are designed for easy navigation.
For more information and to support our mission of building homes for America’s heroes, visit T2T.org. Join us in making a difference by donating just $11 per month.
Media Contacts:
- Trevor Tamsen – Trevor.Tamsen@t2t.org
- Monica Allen – Monica.Allen@T2T.org
About the Tunnel to Towers Foundation
Born from the tragedy of 9/11, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation carries out its mission to ādo good,ā by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building specially adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. Tunnel to Towers is also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America Never Forget September 11, 2001.
Visit T2T.org to learn more and follow Tunnel to Towers on Facebook, X, and Instagram.