PLAINWELL, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – A Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety officer who was severely injured in a traffic accident has had his mortgage paid in full and renovations made to his home by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
The support of for the Thomas Maher family is part of Tunnel to Towers’ 2025 Season of Hope, through which the Foundation will deliver 50 mortgage-free homes to America’s heroes in the 24 days between December 1 and Christmas Eve.
July 9, 2022, while riding his motorcycle to work, Maher was struck by a drunk driver who was also under the influence of marijuana. The impact sent him 65 feet through the air, breaking his spine and paralyzing him from the chest down. His left leg was amputated below the knee, and his right pectoral muscle was completely torn.
Officer Maher comes from a military family. His grandfather served in World War II and his father in Vietnam. Maher says inspired by that legacy and the events of 9/11, he chose a career in public service. He joined the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety in 2006, serving as a Police Officer, Firefighter, and Medical First Responder. During his 16 years with KDPS, he served as a Public Safety Officer, Engine Operator, Field Training Officer, and a member of the Southwest Michigan Technical Rescue Team.
Through its Smart Home Program, Tunnel to Towers renovates or builds adaptive homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. For the Maher family, renovations included ADA-compliant front, rear, and garage doors, new deck extension and master-bedroom egress door, ramp access to the backyard, deck railings and upgraded exterior lighting, driveway repairs, updated closet with wheelchair accessible pull-down rods, pull down kitchen shelves, and Smart Home Technology enabling the lights, thermostat, sound, and security system in the Master Bedroom and living area to be controlled via an app or smart panel.
“This feels incredible. It truly is a gift from God and an answered prayer,” said Officer Maher. “This entire experience has changed my heart for the better. Thank you, Tunnel to Towers, from the bottom of our hearts. To turn tragedy into hope is an incredible thing.”
“I can now go through every door and access my basement without getting stuck,” said Maher. “The doors open and close for me, and the smart lighting makes life so much more streamlined. Tunnel to Towers has removed so many barriers.”
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