Injured New Jersey trooper moves back home after special renovation by Tunnel to Towers Foundation
HOWELL, New Jersey (WABC) -- It was an incredible moment on Tuesday as a New Jersey state trooper was welcomed home by hundreds of people after his house was renovated to make his life easier.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation unveiled the newly renovated smart home for New Jersey State Trooper Sgt. First Class Sean Acker
It was a major homecoming filled with extended family, state troopers, loved ones and first responders who were once strangers that are now family.
It's the first time Acker is home for good and his family will be able to live together once again.
Two years ago he suffered a blood clot and went into cardiac arrest after surgery. The difficulties left him nearly blind with other physical and medical challenges.
He lived away from home at a rehab center for two years -- until now.
The home includes a high-tech wheelchair and a family friendly addition has been added to the home.
"Two years ago our lives changed in a matter of seconds, and now over a matter of six to eight months our lives are changing again, but for the better," said his wife, state Trooper Lisa Acker.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation also paid off the mortgage.
"The only reason I can go home and be with my family is because of the support that Tunnel to Towers has given us. This dream addition has been built and modified so that I can be comfortable and hopefully progress and thrive alongside my family and friends," Acker said in a written in a statement.
Acker enlisted in the Air Force in 1998 and reached the rank of Staff Sergeant before retiring from the military. He joined the New Jersey State Police in 2006 where he spent seven years on the road before becoming an instructor at the academy.
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