Natural Stone Institute Completes 43rd Home with Gary Sinise Foundation
OBERLIN, OH --The Natural Stone Institute has provided natural stone and fabrication services for its 43rd home with the Gary Sinise Foundation through its R.I.S.E. (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment) program. The Foundation’s R.I.S.E. program builds 100% mortgage-free specially adapted smart homes for severely wounded veterans and first responders. Natural stone and fabrication for U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Stuart DiPaolo and his family were provided by Quality Marble & Granite and Andrew Lauren Surfaces.
During a training exercise in 2015 at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California, retired U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Stuart DiPaolo was navigating an all-terrain vehicle when he lost control on the weathered course. Rain had pelted the area the day before, causing conditions on the ground to be more challenging to navigate than initially assessed. When his vehicle began to go up an embankment, Stuart made the split-second decision to bail out as the best course of action for his overall safety. Upon jumping from the vehicle and landing on the ground, the vehicle then rolled over on its side, where the roll bar ended up crushing his head. When medical help arrived, every bone in his face was broken and his right-side carotid artery was severed. His neck was broken and his left eye was detached from the optical nerve.