INGLESIDE, Texas — During the 12 Days of Christmas, 12 veterans across Texas are getting the Christmas surprise of a lifetime with a home makeover.
Army veteran Kenneth Hill and his family returned to Ingleside about two years ago after his mother passed away. Essentially, they were starting over, but they got some big help this Christmas.
“Me and my wife were kind of skeptical at first, we didn’t think it was real," Hill said. "Because who thinks of winning a whole dining room, living room and bedroom set?"
The Hills quickly realized they, in fact, were getting all new furnishings.
The family received a living room sofa, love seat and reclining chair, a dining room set and a bedroom set,something he hadn’t really had since returning to his hometown.
“[What] we had, is what we could afford at the time," he said. "Some of it had been given by family friends. So just being able to have our own is amazing.”
This was all possible because of the 12 Days of Christmas put on by the Department of Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars, Bel Furniture and USA Today.
“It’s amazing, it just brings me more Christmas spirit to know that we’re able to be a part of this company that does things like this,” Amy Gonzalez, a visual manager for Bel Furniture said.
150 veterans were nominated to receive the surprise. It was Hill’s aunt, Kay Johnson, who nominated him and her letter that set him apart. She said while all veterans deserve recognition, her nephew has endured a lot.
“He was overseas, he had family members who passed. He couldn’t be here for the funerals," Johnson said. "He’s had a sick daughter who had problems. So, he had to miss a lot of it. A lot of birthdays, a lot of Christmas’s.”
“My aunt is great," Hill said. "Ever since we moved back to Texas, she’s supported us every step of the way. Helped us whenever she can, so it’s definitely an honor to be nominated by her.”
A second Coastal Bend veteran in George West is also receiving all new furniture from Bel Furniture.
In another donation, Bel Furniture learned of two children in Taft who have been sleeping on piles of clothing. On Tuesday, they were gifted to brand new beds.
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