UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. — U.S. Marine Corps veteran Oddie Atkins and his wife Dianne have lived in their home on Partridge Road in University City for 49 years.
They said the home was the stomping grounds for their daughter and her friends in the neighborhood growing up.
The couple received some much-needed repairs Friday to the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house which had taken too much of a physical and financial toll.
"I used to do all the maintenance I could myself ... We had like four, five trees we had to get removed last year and that end up being like three, four grand, and that's what ended up taking up our savings," Atkins said.
"To see these people come here to help me out. It's a blessing," Atkins said.
Atkins served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He joined when he was 17 and expressed how it led him to a productive life.
Through a partnership between Rebuilding Together St. Louis and Home Depot, Atkins was honored with a rehab to his home.
"We've been raking the yard. Kind of making sure we get a lot of the lead litter up. Trying to get some edging done. Get that concrete nice and smoothed out. We got plans to power wash and get the house cleaned," said Mason McCaughan.
McCaughan, who has worked for The Home Depot for two years, is glad to sacrifice for someone who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
"Being able to be a part of something where they are putting so much into the veteran community and knowing how much is struggles very often. It makes me feel over the moon."
The Home Depot Foundation has already pledged $500 million to go toward Veteran causes like homelessness and transitional living. They plan to pledge another $750 million by 2030.
"We got a grant to help out with some basic needs. Like some yard work and some new flooring," said Simon McGuckin, a Store Manager at The Home Depot in Arnold.
The Atkins are humbled by the hard work being done to lift up their home.
"I'm just so grateful, I don't have the words," Oddie said as he shed a tear.
The repairs took place both inside and outside of the homes of six veterans in the St. Louis Metro area and are done annually for sought-out veterans in need.