Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/436829
E R R A L H A N C O C K R E T U R N E D home to Lancaster, a town in the High Desert, where he received a hero's welcome, rode in parades, and tried to rebuild his life. But things got worse, not better. His marriage ended, leaving him to raise his two young children (now ages 7 and 10) while living in a mobile home so narrow he can't maneuver his wheelchair. The vet- eran has compared his living situation to imprisonment. His mother and stepfather are his full-time caregivers, and live in the mobile home across the street. However, better days — and increased mobility — are on the horizon for Hancock, thanks to the generosity of Lancaster High School students and their history teacher, Jamie Goodreau, whose mission is to raise enough money to build Hancock a new home that will be accessible. The students have already raised more than $420,000 toward the $500,000 project, which broke ground in May. Hancock believes his new home will greatly improve his quality of life. "The biggest change will be an independence I haven't had since the accident," says Hancock. "The new open layout of the house will make it worth getting out of bed on days I'm just chilling at home. As of now, I just have a trail I can go through, and I can't even get to my kids' rooms. Just being able to hang out and play with my kids in their own rooms is a big deal. I don't think that can be understood unless you've lived through it." Operation All The Way Home It all began in May 2013 when the students met Hancock at their spring community project, Pride of the Nation, an Armed Forces Day din- ner, dance and tribute ceremony hosted by the U.S. history students for the community at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds. The students invited Hancock to visit Goodreau's history classes and tell his story. "There are no words to explain the impact he had on my students," says Goodreau, Antelope Valley Teachers Association. "His story challenged my students on so many levels. He talked about his physical challenges, his physical pain and his road to recovery. He talked about the challenges of trying to provide for his kids. It gave my students a whole new per- spective about life." His mother and stepfather dropped him off at the school that day, six years to the day after his accident. The students later learned that it was the very first time since the accident that Hancock had ventured anywhere alone. "We don't have to wait for them to grow up to become civic leaders," says Goodreau of her students. "They can do that right now." J Feature C O U R T E S Y P H O T O S 10 www.cta.org