When a brave man goes to war, the prayer is for him to come home safely.

Not all make it home safely. And those who do, don’t always make it home whole. Wounded while serving our country, they come home changed.

But one actor is making sure that the men and women who come home from war, get the help they need. 

Gary Sinise, is best known for his 1994 portrayal of Lt. Dan in “Forrest Gump,” and said that role, which gained him a huge following with members of the military, gave him the drive to help disabled veterans. Following the Sept. 11th attacks on New York City, he knew he needed to act, he told Spectrum News 1.

From that need The Gary Sinise Foundation was born. The goal was to provide disabled veterans homes that would be built to accommodate their needs. But even better, the homes were mortgage free. So far, the foundation has built more than 80 homes for severely wounded veterans who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“I wanted to play a role in supporting them, making sure that what happened to our Vietnam veterans [sic] when they were neglected and treated badly when they came home from war…” Sinise said.

Finding a way to help, when there is a huge need, requires more than just the government, the actor said.

“I think we all have a role to play. These are our defenders, these are our freedom providers,” Sinise said.

I don’t think it’s up to the government, nor can the government cover all the needs of everybody who goes off to war and comes home from war.”

One Marine Corps veteran, Jose Armenta, along with his family, were recent beneficiaries of Sinise’s foundation.

Armenta lost both his legs during a tour in Afghanistan. He served as a canine handler and in 2011, he stepped on a pressure plate full of homemade explosives and lost both legs from above the knee down.

Jose Armenta and his family at their soon-to-be-finished home.

After waking up in the hospital, he told his family, “If we never give up, then we’ll never lose. And if we allow it, the worst day of our life may become the most defining day.”

The boards that will make up the wall of Armenta’s home have been signed by friends, volunteers, and even Sinise himself. The whole custom of writing on the walls is called “Walls of Honor.”

“Just two months ago, this was a dirt lot, that’s amazing,” said Armenta. His 6-year-old daughter also wrote a special message on the wall of the under-construction house.

I write, ‘I love my room,’ because my room is going to look so pretty,” said Bella. 

That is, for Sinise, what it is all about. 

Actor Gary Sinise.

“Looking in the eyes of our veterans, I just see freedom and independence. I see sacrifice and, not being a veteran myself but somebody who benefits from the freedom that they provide, I want to do something about it to make sure they know they’re appreciated,” he said.

For a look at Armenta and his family’s new home, watch below.

Sources: My Modern Met | CBS8 | Spectrum News 1