Homeless Veteran's 'Miracle Of Having A House' Helps In Healing

PURCELLVILLE, VA — There are many ways to describe Vainuupo Avegalio. He was a sergeant in the U.S. Army, he is an artist, and he faced homelessness. Now, thanks to the work of HeroHomes Loudoun, he is a homeowner in Purcellville.

Avegalio, a native of the Samoan Islands, travels the country and conducts art and poetry workshops with at-risk youth, inmates, first responders, veterans, and those suffering from mental illness. Previously, Avegalio lived on the road as he traveled from workshop to workshop, without a home to call his own.

This month, HeroHomes handed Avegalio the keys to his new home in Purcellville. The home was fully furnished, thanks to a donation from Belfort furniture.

"The miracle of having a house is almost more than his mind can process," HeroHomes wrote on their website.

"Military life was both a blessing and a curse," Avegalio wrote. "It took me to places I could have only dreamed of growing up on the Samoan Islands."

However, Avegalio's experience in the military left him scarred, in more ways than one. He now suffers from PTSD, according to HeroHomes.

"I witnessed horror, destruction, merciless acts of inhumanity. I saw acts of gallantry and heroism," Avegalio wrote. "I sent and welcomed many good friends home. I was shot at by enemies. I was spit on by the people we fought to protect."

Though there was no single solution for this trauma, Avegalio found a way to cope. "I needed an outlet," he wrote on HeroHomes' website. "Art and poetry have become a highway to healing."

Now, with a home of his own, Avegalio plans to use the basement of his new home as an art studio, according to WUSA9.

Avegalio recently appeared on HBO in their documentary "We Are Not Done Yet." The film chronicles the experiences of ten veterans from different backgrounds.

Avegalio has no plans to box himself in, and he told WUSA9 that he will continue helping people through art. "Experimenting with this is my path to redemption," he said.

HeroHomes is a non-profit foundation dedicated to building homes for veterans and their families. Avegalio's home was the fourth donated by the foundation.

The Department of Veteran Affairs offers an array of resources for former service members, including for those experiencing homelessness. More information is available on their website.

A crisis line is also available for veterans experiencing mental health crises at 1-800-273-8255.