Tunnel to Towers Foundation Renovates Home and Pays off Mortgage for Injured Walworth County Sheriff’s Deputy

Deputy Sheriff Wayne Blanchard was critically injured in 2021

ELKHORN, WISCONSIN [November 19, 2024] — In a private ceremony, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation unveiled the smart home renovations on the Elkhorn home of injured Walworth County Deputy Sheriff Wayne Blanchard and announced his mortgage had been paid in full. 

“The Tunnel to Towers Foundation heard about our story and reached out…from the first contact with Tunnel to Towers, my wife Angela and I were speechless. With Tunnel to Towers paying off our mortgage we have peace of mind that our home will always be our home, and nobody can take it away from us,” said Deputy Blanchard. 

Deputy Blanchard is a Marine Corps Veteran and served with the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department. On August 1, 2021, a drunk driver was speeding and leading police on a high-speed chase. Deputy Blanchard was out of his vehicle to deploy stop sticks when the driver lost control and slammed his car into him at over 100 miles an hour.

The force of the impact stripped the skin from his face and hands, and he suffered multiple broken bones. Doctors had to reconstruct his nose and repair his injuries with metal plates and rods in his hips, legs, and arms.

Since the crash, Deputy Blanchard has undergone over 55 surgeries, with more to go. He has been forced to learn how to do everyday activities with his limited mobility. Tunnel to Towers renovated his Elkhorn home to help him regain some of his independence. 

At Deputy Blanchard’s home, a new concrete walkway with a railing from the driveway to the front door creates a zero-threshold path for him to get to his home; the exterior doors have been motorized so they open with the push of a button, and close automatically. There is a new backyard deck with an ADA-compliant ramp and railing off the back door.

Smart toilets and touchless faucets in the master bathroom and kitchen will make it easier for Deputy Blanchard to operate with the injuries to his hands. Smart technology installed throughout the home enables remote control of the lights, temperature, sound system, and security system via an app. 

“The renovations Tunnel to Towers came up with are a game changer. I’m now able to open the doors without difficulty. I can get in and out of the house easier and spend time with my wife on our new deck. Tunnel to Towers made my house more functional for me today and for the future,” said Deputy Blanchard, who added his heartfelt thanks, “Thank you Tunnel to Towers for everything you do to help our veterans and first responders.” 

The Tunnel to Towers Smart Home Program builds or renovates homes to help our most catastrophically injured veterans and first responders live more independently. 

 Go to T2T.org and please consider joining us on our mission to provide homes for these heroes by donating $11 a month.