Marines To Begin Demo Work Next Week On Home of Wounded Cpl. Mike Nicholson

Posted Oct 27, 2011 by Howard Altman

Updated Oct 28, 2011 at 02:50 PM

The latest chapter in the amazing, community-wide effort to rebuild the home of a Tampa Marine who lost three limbs in Afghanistan will begin next week, fittingly enough, with Marines doing some demolition work.

On July 6, Cpl. Mike Nicholson, 22, a Plant High School graduate, was severely wounded while on patrol in Afghanistan. He lost both legs above the knee and his left arm above the elbow. Since then, he has undergone 21 excruciating surgeries, but his parents, John and Mary Nicholson, are hoping to bring their son home by January to recuperate.

To do so, they will need their home renovated, with an attached addition, including a bathroom that meets standards set in the Americans With Disabilities Act. The first step in that process took place when the project was granted a variance from the city zoning board.

Now comes the fun part – doing the demolition work.

Rob Barrow, a former operations officer for U.S. Central Command and the Marines at MacDill Air Force Base, Barrow, has helped spearhead efforts to rehab the home along with architect Richard Hartmann, who drew up the designs.

Thursday night, Barrow sent me an update on the plans to rehab Nicholson’s house.

On Tuesday Nov 1st – All Saints Day – we will be kicking off the remodeling and addition to Cpl Nicholson’s parent’s home.  I had contacted Marine major Scott Weis, who Commands the Recruiting Station in Orlando and has recruiters all over South Florida.  He’s a great guy and superb Marine Officer.  Major Weis lost his brother in Afghanistan earlier this year.  He was an attack helicopter pilot and was shot down from heavy ground fire.  I asked Major Weis if we could get some Marines to come over to Cpl Nicholson’s house and assist in the first task at hand – demolition.  He confirmed he would get the word out and was sure Marines would volunteer.  Indeed he was right.  I joked that it was fitting on many levels for Marines to be part of this project and even more so the demolition piece.  Marines are great at tearing stuff up!

So, on Tuesday we will have about 10-12 Marines on site to start the work.  I will tell you that from the earliest days of boot camp and throughout their careers - be it 4 years or 40 years -  there are some absolutes in Marine culture.  We never leave a fellow Marine behind or on the battlefield and we always take care of our own.  Period.  This is what I believe this story is about.  Marines rallying around a fellow Marine and stepping up to help.  It is likely that none of these Marines have ever met Cpl Nicholson and frankly it matters not to them.  A Marine is a Marine.  All they needed to know was that a fellow Marine needed their help.  They answered the call.  It is what Marines do.

Just today I had a former Marine come to my office who owns a roofing company.  He heard about a Marine in need and said he would do whatever needed to be done and would help in any way he could.  Whatever the task…he was “in”.

Pastor David Toups from Christ the King will be there shortly after 9:am to bless the project and the Nicholson home.  Any other info you need let me know.  I’m awake.

Semper Fidelis,

Rob Barrow