7/27/2019 Disabled veteran Sarah Bettencourt gets newly
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Disabled veteran Sarah Bettencourt gets newly renovatedhome in
ClairemontBettencourt: They're giving me my life back
Posted: 07/15/2013
Natasha Zouves
CLAIREMONT, Calif. - Disabled Marine Corps veteran Sarah
etten!o"rt #a$es "p ever% &ornin' to a
ni'ht&are( she has a rare brain disorder that)s
pro'ressivel% paral%*in' her bod%. "t she sa%s a lo!al
or'ani*ation is 'ivin' her hope.
As a veteran, it)s ver% hard to as$ for help,+ said etten!o"rt
in tears. And it)s ver% hard to be a b"rden to
people. Espe!iall% #hen the% have to ta$e !are of basi!
f"n!tions.+
She sa%s she al#a%s $ne# she #anted to serve.
Even #hen I #as a little $id, I "sed to see those re!r"itin'
!o&&er!ials on the T. So&eho# I $ne# I
#anted to be in "nifor& servin' o"r !o"ntr% in so&e #a%,
shape or for&,+ said etten!o"rt.
She did 'et to #ear the "nifor&, servin' in the Marine Corps
and &arr%in' her hi'h s!hool s#eetheart.
"t then, in //0, it be'an #ith a tin'lin' in her left hand.
1ithin three %ears etten!o"rt #o"ld lose the
abilit% to #al$ on her o#n. She sa%s do!tors still don)t $no#
e2a!tl% #hat)s #ron'. She)s ine2pli!abl%
developin' lesions in her brain that paral%*e different parts of
her bod%. "t she sa%s, it hasn)t to"!hed her
spirit.
I loo$ at it as ever% da% is li$e Christ&as. Meanin' ever%
da% I #a$e "p and &% 'ifts are the parts of &%
bod% that are #or$in',+ said etten!o"rt.
3er stor% is brin'in' !olle'e st"dents and vol"nteers to'ether
in Claire&ont as part of E&bra!e)s 3ealin'
o"r 3eroes) 3o&es pro'ra&. The%)re ra!in' to re-b"ild
&ost of her ho"se in 4"st five da%s. It in!l"des
ever%thin' fro& an e2panded drive#a% and #heel!hair ra&p
at the front of the ho"se, to a ne# 'arden at
the side of the ho"se. The ai& is to &a$e 'ettin' aro"nd
easier for etten!o"rt.
The%)re 4"st a perfe!t !o"ple for "s to !o&e to'ether as a
!o&&"nit% and serve, sin!e the%)ve done so
&"!h to serve o"r !o"ntr%,5 said Sean Sheppard, 6o"nder of
the E&bra!e pro'ra&.
This is the si2th s"!h ho"se E&bra!e has !o&pleted and
it)s !o&pletel% free for the etten!o"rts. The
pro4e!t is f"nded b% San Die'o 7as 8 Ele!tri!, 3o&e Depot,
9a!$ in the o2 6o"ndation and Militar% 3o&e
Loans.
