Veteran finds second chance in Lebanon after double knee rupture

Sep. 10--U.S. Navy veteran Tim Marshall has lived through many challenges, but perhaps his greatest was an unexpected accident that nearly left him homeless and unable to walk.

Both of Marshall's knees ruptured while he was playing on a trampoline with his grandchildren in Mt. Juliet, and he required immediate surgery. Before the accident he was an avid snowboarder, so he never expected his knees to give out at the age of 55.

"I spent six months in the nursing home learning to walk again through rehab, and I was in a lot of pain," he said. "I lost my job and became very depressed. I let my stress levels rise, gained weight and wasn't keeping up with my hygiene."

Marshall said he was ultimately able to fight back because of his family -- particularly his eight grandchildren.

"I understand that I'm not an island unto myself," he said. "There were plenty of times I wanted to give up, but I kept thinking of how I wanted to get up and ride bikes with my grandkids again. "

Little by little, life for Marshall fell back into place. He sought out assistance from the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department and applied for Wilson County Habitat for Humanity, which started building his new home in August.

"Veronica Mallicoat, who works for Habitat, she came up and brought things to my room while I was recovering to keep me busy, from a coloring book to a computer," he said, noting that his application was almost disqualified before his disability payments came through. "She never gave up on me. A lot of people will tell you they're praying for you when you're in a bad situation, but she was there for me with her actions, and I appreciate that so much more."

Wilson County Habitat for Humanity Director Tory Tredway said Marshall was approved for his home in 2019, and that working with him on the project has been inspiring. The Dugan Family Foundation is sponsoring the build.

"To his credit, he remains so positive," Tredway said. "He's optimistic about his life, and he's very thankful and humble."

Volunteers are expected to complete Marshall's home by December, and he wants to create a getaway for his grandchildren once he moves in. He currently lives with family in Davidson County to save money after struggling with the area's rising cost of apartment living.

"I want a place where they can run freely," he said. "My roommate wasn't a kid person, but I am ... at my age, I'm also thinking about finances. I was really happy to be approved because of the low interest rate on the mortgage, and I want to be financially stable as I get older."

In the meantime, Marshall said the most important thing has been patience. He visits Lebanon on the weekends to show his support for the volunteers, while Habitat subcontracts workers who keep the project going on weekdays.

"The opportunity to purchase a Habitat home is life-changing, and it's a unique one for each applicant," Tredway said. "They're very proud of their home because they're involved in the process, and they have to put in hours of classwork to prepare to become responsible homeowners."

Marshall will also have a new neighbor in Charlie Vaughn, whose Habitat home is also under construction and sponsored by 10 area churches and businesses.

Vaughn has worked as a head chef for Five Oaks Golf and Country Club since 2007 and wants to stabilize his living situation so he can go to college and start a family.

He currently lives in a small rental home with his sister, but said the landlord often brings people over to look at the property and could sell it soon.

"I can't afford (a traditional) mortgage down payment and I don't know where to start," Vaughn said in a release provided by Habitat. "I never thought anyone would care about me and my future and it shows God is always listening when you pray."

Wilson County Habitat for Humanity typically builds three to four homes a year for residents like Marshall and Vaughn. The nonprofit's largest fundraiser is its annual golf challenge at Hermitage Golf Course, which is scheduled for Oct. 20 this year.

"In the last couple of years, we brought in about $60,000 with it," Tredway said. "This year's different because of COVID-19, and a lot of companies are waiting before making a sponsorship commitment to see how they're doing. But we still know we're going to have a great time."

The organization was also scheduled to hold its Houses of Hope Summer Shindig this weekend, but COVID-19 forced its cancellation. Tredway said Habitat remains committed to the golf fundraiser and developing new events for 2021. More information on the event is available at www.habitatnashville.org/wilsongolf.

"We encourage everyone to sign up and join us," he said. "There are still some sponsorships available, and it's going to be a lot of fun."

COVID-19 has also impacted Habitat's build schedule, which is expected to begin later this month with four straight weekends of volunteer work.

Although Marshall's injuries have kept him from joining in, he appreciates seeing people from different backgrounds come together at a time when the U.S. is experiencing widespread social division.

"Everyone was working together for a common goal, and that's something this country needs," he said. "To learn that yes, we're different, but at the end of the day we all want the same thing: to be healthy and take care of our families. That's the bottom line."

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