Tunnel to Towers Foundation Pays Off Mortgage and Renovates Injured Army Sergeant’s Texas Home

Army Sergeant E-5 Anne-Marie Robinson was injured during a training exercise in 1999

HELOTES, TEXAS [August 6, 2025] – In a private ceremony, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation welcomed U.S. Army Sergeant E-5 Anne-Marie Robinson into her renovated, mortgage-free smart home in Helotes, Texas.

“To have someplace that is safe, completely accessible to fit our needs now and in the future, and to know that we will not have to ever think about giving it up is truly a blessing. God opens doors when you least expect it and when you most need it,” said SGT Anne-Marie Robinson.  

SGT Robinson grew up in Lake Jackson, Texas, where she participated in high school sports and was a member of the Girl Scouts. She developed a strong work ethic from an early age by babysitting and cleaning houses. 

SGT Robinson’s father’s service in World War II as a paratrooper was a significant influence on her decision to enlist in the Army. She wanted more opportunities for herself outside her hometown, and the military offered that.  SGT Robinson joined the Army on April 5, 1988, and a few months later, she married her husband, Harry, whom she had met a few years prior while working at a local dining establishment. 

On October 14, 1999, while her unit was stationed in Anchorage, Alaska, SGT Robinson was injured when the vehicle she was driving slid on a black sheet of ice and fell down a 20-foot embankment, rolling three times. Her seatbelt broke away from the cab, and she was partially ejected out the driver’s side window. She was airlifted from the scene and suffered a broken neck and had 120 staples in the top of her head where Kevlar webbing cut her scalp during impact. She was left paralyzed from the chest down. 

The family relocated to the San Antonio area and purchased a home in 2001.  Rehab was the hardest thing she’s ever done, but her kids, Justin and Rebecca, were instrumental in helping her learn to breathe on her own again. 

“With the love and strength of my husband and the love of life, I did not fret on the “ending of my life as I knew it.” I took on the challenge of a new beginning, and ran with it, ensuring that I made those who sacrificed for me proud of what I’ve was able to do,” added SGT Robinson.  

SGT Robinson is highly involved with other injured veterans, currently serving as the National Vice President for Paralyzed Veterans of America. She also helped develop their Women’s Empowerment Initiative, which increased membership among women leaders. Additionally, she serves as a peer mentor for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. SGT Robinson continues to advocate for fellow injured veterans at the Texas State Legislature’s Office. 

With her husband for 37 years by her side, SGT Robinson looks forward to what comes next for her family, including their two grandchildren, Shelby and Cooper. 

The Tunnel to Towers Smart Home Program builds specially-adapted, mortgage-free smart homes or renovates existing homes to help our most catastrophically injured veterans and first responders reclaim their day-to-day independence.

SGT Robinson’s home was already built with many of her specific needs in mind when it was purchased.  Tunnel to Towers upgraded and replaced the ramps that surrounded the house, allowing for smoother access. All Tunnel to Towers smart homes are custom-fit with innovative technology, allowing users to remotely control the thermostat, lights, sound system, and security system via an app.  A generator is also installed in each smart home to ensure the families are never without power.