JOIN US FOR AN AMAZING
welcome home celebration
EVENT DETAILS
THURSDAY, SEPT. 11, 2005
CEREMONY AT 10:00AM
ARGYLE, TEXAS
Building Homes for Heroes® is a national non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2006.
JOIN US FOR AN AMAZING
welcome home celebration
EVENT DETAILS // THURSDAY, SEPT. 11, 2005
CEREMONY AT 10:00AM // ARGYLE, TEXAS
Building Homes for Heroes® is a national non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2006.
WECOME HOME, GRETCHEN!
Join us in celebrating the homecoming of Army Command Sergeant Major Gretchen Evans and her husband Robert, as they receive the keys to their brand-new, mortgage-free home. This special event honors Gretchen’s extraordinary service and the sacrifices she and her family have made for our country.
Symbolically, the ceremony will be held on the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks as a tribute to how the nation came together and united as one to honor America and its heroes following those fateful and tragic events.
ABOUT BUILDING HOMES FOR HEROES
Building Homes for Heroes® is determined and devoted to bringing renewed hope to our nation’s injured veterans, first responders and their families. The organization builds or modifies homes, and gifts them, mortgage-free, to injured veterans, first responders and their families, while providing support services to enable them to build better and brighter lives and reach new heights. It’s truly an honor to serve the men and women who have courageously served and sacrificed for our country.
Our organization’s story began in the aftermath of the tragic September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that so deeply impacted our country. Shortly after those attacks, our Founder, Andy Pujol, volunteered in the search and rescue side-by-side at Ground Zero with our heroic first responders. Witnessing the horrors around him, Andy made a pledge that day to serve the country he loved, and to help the brave men and women who would serve and sacrifice to defend our freedom in the aftermath of those attacks.
Soon after, Building Homes for Heroes was born with the hope of gifting a single home to a single veteran. Twenty-four years later, thanks to the help of tireless volunteers, supporters and generous corporations, the dream has grown towards our goal of reaching our milestone 500th home by the end of 2025, and gifting and modifying more than one home every 11 days, on average.
Together, Building Homes for Heroes has grown to become a nationwide partnership of communities and corporations working together to make our communities and country a better place by serving our nation’s heroes
MEET GRETCHEN EVANS
Command Sgt. Maj. Gretchen was at the peak of a distinguished three-decade military career when everything changed. While overseeing more than 30,000 ground troops in Afghanistan, she was severely injured by a mortar blast at a forward operating base. She awoke in a hospital in Germany—deaf in both ears, suffering from multiple physical injuries and a traumatic brain injury. In a single moment, she lost not only her career, but her identity and sense of purpose.
Yet, true to the spirit she embodied throughout her service, Gretchen chose resilience. Today, she travels the world sharing her story of grit, hope, and perseverance. Through powerful public speaking and dedicated advocacy, she inspires and supports fellow service members who’ve been wounded in the line of duty, proving that even in the face of profound loss, there is always a path forward.
Watch clips of Gretchen’s powerful speeches as part of the ceremony coverage.
Gretchen Evans wins Pat Tillman Award for Service 2022 ESPYS
HILLWOOD COMMUNITIES
Hillwood, based in Fort Worth, is a premier real estate developer specializing in industrial-logistics, corporate office, and retail mixed-use development, as well as airport and property management. With a commitment to excellence and innovation, Hillwood has established a reputation for quality development that drives economic growth for communities throughout North Texas
HIGHLAND HOMES
Founded in 1985, Highland Homes is an employee-owned company and one of the largest, most trusted single-family homebuilders in the nation. Building nearly 4,000 homes across Texas each year, Highland is known for award-winning architecture, quality craftsmanship, and an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. Highland is a 10-time People’s Choice Builder of the Year, a multi-time Home of the Year recipient, and has been honored by the Dallas Morning News as Best Builder and Best Luxury Builder. In 2025, Highland ranked No. 6 on Home Builder Executive’s list of the largest private homebuilders in the U.S., ranked No. 14 on Fortune's Best Large Companies to Work for in Texas list and is proudly Great Place to Work® Certified. For more information, visit highlandhomes.com.
SUPPORT THE MISSION
If you’d like to contribute to this homecoming or help us complete any of the nearly 50 home projects planned for 2025, please visit our donation page. Every gift brings us one step closer to honoring more heroes like Gretchen.