President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence met with a true American hero this week: Travis Mills.
Mills is retired United States Army Staff Sergeant. He lost all four limbs after an IED exploded under him, while he was serving his third tour in Afghanistan.
During his lengthy recovery at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Mills found a new mission in life: helping wounded warriors like himself.
A little over a year later after his injury, in September 2013, Mills, with the help of his wife and family, launched the Travis Mills Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting and supporting combat-injured veterans and their families.
But Mills didn’t stop there. On June 25, the former Staff Sergeant held the grand opening of the Travis Mills Veterans Retreat.
Good morning #merica! Celebrating the Grand Opening of the #TravisMillsFoundation Vet Retreat today! #GodBlesstheUSA #RecalibratedWarriors pic.twitter.com/CnJBABbYKt
— travismills.org (@ssgtravismills) June 25, 2017
Mills’ retreat - a 16-room estate that sits on 12,000 acres of land overlooking a lake in Rome, Maine - provides a home for combat-injured veterans and their families while they recover - physically and emotionally - and find their new normal.
“We’re grateful for their service and the sacrifice they’ve made,” Mills told People Magazine. "We just wanted to create this place that really felt like home.”
The retreat can host up to ten families at once and is completely free-of-charge. Volunteers and therapists are present to help guide the wounded warriors and their families on the week-long journey.
Mills said he is hoping to have up to 56 families attend the retreat this summer. He hosted his first group over Fourth of July weekend.
So, how was all this possible? Well, the Army veteran had a bit of help. The Travis Mills Foundation raised over $2 million dollars to restore and run the historic, 11,000-square-foot lodge that once belonged to famous cosmetologist Elizabeth Arden.
“The majority of our donations come from everyday proud Americans," Mills told People. "We get letters from grandmas that are 87 that say, ‘I don’t have much. Hope this helps with something.’”
Online retailer Wayfair also lent a hand and donated all of the furniture - nearly 800 pieces - and decor for the house.
On Monday, Mills celebrated the grand opening of his retreat by taking an impromptu trip to the White House. The former Army Staff Sergeant posted pictures of his meeting with President Trump and Vice President Pence to social media.
Doing my part to make America great for our vets. Thank you @VP for hosting us at the @WhiteHouse today. Thank you @POTUS for your support. pic.twitter.com/BYkORex137
— travismills.org (@ssgtravismills) July 10, 2017
We don’t think we’ve ever seen Trump wear a bigger smile.
Pence also posted pictures of the meeting.
.@ssgtravismills visited the @WhiteHouse and shared his incredible & inspiring story w/ @POTUS and me. Thank you for your bravery & service. pic.twitter.com/hi2Y5i1muN
— Vice President Pence (@VP) July 10, 2017
Thank you, former Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills for your service and for being such a positive force of change in our veterans’ lives.
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