Donations pour in to help injured marine keep home

LUTZ - A Florida marine returned home after surviving one of the most severe head injuries on record. Now, he faces a different kind of battle as his family tries to keep their home.

They are not, however, fighting alone.

Staff Sgt. Jose Pequeno proudly served with the Marines in Iraq. Then came a life-changing call. His mother, Nellie Bagley, called it "a phone call that I don't wish anybody to get."

His tour of duty ended in 2006 with an explosion in which 40 to 50 percent of his brain mass was lost or damaged.

The soldier's homecoming began with 34 months of hospitalization followed by a lifetime of constant care.

"There's not a medicine in any hospital or anywhere that can help him as much as the love of a family around him," Bagley said.

His family left their own homes to move in to a larger house near the V.A. hospital in Tampa. With a rent-to-own deal and room for his three children, it marked a dream come true. But it's coming to an end.

"We rented it for a year, and that year ended last November first," Bagley said. "Now the owner needs to sell the home. So we've gone over the contract, but we still haven't been able to put the money together to purchase the house."

There's an army of support at Wecks American Grill in Lutz trying to help raise money for a downpayment.

"I think we met our goal for almost a thousand people," said restaurant owner Alex Altenhoff.

That's 1,000 people eating, buying raffle tickets, and bidding in an auction. What they're really doing is contributing to the housing fund.

"Everything today here in the restaurant, from the bratwurst to the pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad ... everything was all donated to all go to Jose," explained Altenhoff.

Ironically, the organizers met the solider when they catered his housewarming party. Now their culinary skills will help him keep his home.

"It's a lifesaver because we wouldn't have other ways to get it," Bagley said.

Saturday's benefit raised more than $10,000 and counting for the fund to benefit Jose Pequeno. Donations will be accepted for a few more days at Wecks American Grill in Lutz.