Phoenix, Ariz. – Taylor Morrison, a leading builder and developer in North America, has handed over the keys to its newly built Home for Our Troops house, just in time for the holiday season.

Marine Sergeant Robert Bruce and his wife, Megan, received the keys to their new, custom-built, mortgage-free house in their hometown of Mesa, Arizona on November 15 in front of a crowd of cheering supporters welcoming the young couple home. The unveiling of the Taylor Morrison-built home brought out several elected officials, including U.S. Senator Jeff Flake, and team members from both Taylor Morrison and Homes for Our Troops – all in attendance to say thank you to this American role model.

The home was constructed specifically for Sgt. Bruce’s needs, having lost both of his legs and suffered multiple shrapnel wounds when he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan.

“When Taylor Morrison was first approached by Homes for Our Troops about joining this project, we jumped at the chance to be involved in such a meaningful project,” said Charlie Enochs, president of Taylor Morrison’s Arizona division. “Sgt. Bruce is truly a hero to all of us and this custom-built home has been a labor of love by all parties involved. Our team of builders and designers has worked to ensure this house is accessible for Sgt. Bruce and we are honored to be able to give him and his wife a home that they can begin to create a lifetime of new memories in.”

“This week we celebrated and honored America’s veterans for their service and their bravery,” Sen. Flake said. “Sgt. Bruce is one of our veterans and has contributed and sacrificed above and beyond to defend our freedom. This house is a testament of our appreciation for him and all of America’s service men and women. I thank Taylor Morrison and Homes for Our Troops for working so diligently to complete this worthwhile project and I am so pleased to welcome Sgt. Bruce and Megan home.”

On his fourth tour of duty, in March of 2011, Sgt. Bruce was stationed in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan, providing security for the squad’s minesweeper – clearing IED’s so that the area could be used for future operations. The Marine ahead of Sgt. Bruce triggered an IED and lay injured in front of him. Sgt. Bruce heroically rushed to administer aide to his injured comrade and triggered a second IED; the blast traumatically amputating both of his legs below the knees. Thanks to lifesaving measures, Robert and the other injured were able to be evacuated by helicopter and treated at Camp Bastion, in Landstuhl, Germany.

Within days of his injuries Sgt. Bruce was stabilized for transport and airlifted to Bethesda Naval Medical Center and remained there for a month while enduring multiple surgeries before being transferred to Balboa Naval Medical Center where he was fitted for his prosthetics and began his physical therapy.

Today, Sgt. Bruce continues receiving treatments and therapies as an outpatient in Arizona and enjoys spending time with his family. He loves movies, video games, camping and hosting BBQs. In his new home, which is designed to be easily accessible both in and out of his wheelchair, Sgt. Bruce will be able to resume enjoying these everyday activities with his wife as they begin to plan their future together.

More than 2,000 volunteer hours were donated by Taylor Morrison and its suppliers to help accomplish the task, including work from companies such as Chas Roberts Air Conditioning, Epic Plumbing, American Legacy Stucco, Paramount Windows, New Electric and more than two dozen additional vendors.

Homes for Our Troops named Taylor Morrison its Build Partner of the Year for its efforts in completing the home for Sgt. Bruce.

“Homes for Our Troops is proud to have partnered with Taylor Morrison to build Sgt. Bruce his new home,” Justin Silvia, GC Procurement Specialist at Homes for Our Troops. “Taylor Morrison went above and beyond for this project and HFOT will forever be grateful for all they have done. Taylor Morrison is well deserving of the designation of Build Partner of the Year. We would like to congratulate them and thank them for all they are doing for our nations Veterans.”

“Taylor Morrison far exceeded our expectations in the quality of work on our home, and their interactions with us personally,” Sgt Bruce said. “We couldn’t have asked for a better builder, and will be forever thankful for their hard work”

For more information about the Key Ceremony, Sgt. Bruce, or to find out more about Home for Our Troops please visit http://www.hfotusa.org. For more information on Taylor Morrison, please visit www.taylormorrison.com.

About Taylor Morrison

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Taylor Morrison Home Corporation operates in the U.S. under the Taylor Morrison and Darling Homes brands and in Canada under the Monarch brand. Taylor Morrison is a builder and developer of single-family detached and attached homes, serving a wide array of customers including first-time, move-up, luxury and 55+ or better. Taylor Morrison divisions operate in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida and Texas. Darling Homes serves move-up and luxury homebuyers in Texas. Monarch, Canada’s oldest homebuilder, builds homes for first-time and move-up buyers in Toronto and Ottawa as well as high rise condominiums in Toronto.

For more information about Taylor Morrison, Darling Homes or Monarch, please visit www.taylormorrison.com, www.darlinghomes.com and www.monarchgroup.net.

About Homes for Our Troops (HFOT)
HFOT is a privately funded 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization building specially adapted, mortgage-free homes nationwide for the most severely injured Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Most of these Veterans are multiple amputees, paraplegic, quadriplegic or suffered severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). These homes restore some of the freedom and independence our Veterans sacrificed defending ours, and enable them to focus on their family, recovery, and rebuilding their lives. Since its inception in 2004, over 90 percent of donations to Homes for Our Troop has gone to directly support Veterans.