Tunnels to Towers Foundation gifts Dinwiddie Army veteran, mortgage-free home

DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- The Tunnel to Towers Foundation honored the service of an Army veteran and Chesterfield County police officer by presenting him with a newly renovated home in Dinwiddie County on Thursday.

The county hosted a private ceremony at the new mortgage-free smart home in Dewitt on Thursday, May 15, for Army veteran and Chesterfield County police officer Daniel Nord, who served as a military police officer in the U.S. Army for eight years.

In November 2009, Nord was hit and thrown from his police motorcycle at 54 mph while pursuing a reckless driver. He was left with notable injuries to his head, spine, arms and legs -- leading to 28 surgeries and an amputation of his right leg below the knee.

According to a release, Tunnel to Towers Smart Home Program has provided Nord and his family with a home that can fully support his physical limitations and daily needs, with various upgrades, including:

• An ADA accessible bathroom with a walk-in shower
• Upgraded kitchen with expanded space and storage
• New exterior ramps and walkways for accessibility
• Remodeled front deck designed for improved traction and safety

(Photo: Dinwiddie County)

(Photo: Dinwiddie County)

Christie explained how the foundation’s support has affected her family's lives:

"I wish everyone could have heard his voice the day Dan called to tell me we were accepted. In 34 years, I had never heard that tone. Over the past 16 years, I did not realize how much he felt he had let his family down by being injured at work. His voice had a peace that day that it hadn't had in many years." Christie Nord, Dan's wife

Nord's home is now shared by him and his wife, who met at Dinwiddie County High School and have been married for more than 30 years. The home also houses her parents, their daughter and son-in-law, and their two young granddaughters.

"We are deeply grateful to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation for their incredible generosity and commitment to our veterans," said County Administrator W. Kevin Massengill. "The renovation of the Nord's home is more than just a construction project—it is a powerful reminder of the respect and gratitude we owe to those who have served our country. Mr. Nord’s courage and sacrifice embody the very best of our community, and we are proud to stand beside Tunnels to Towers in supporting him."

Throughout his eight years of service, he was deployed to Panama, Cuba and Johnston Island Atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, and he joined the Chesterfield County Police Department in 1997, as per a release from the county.

The foundation -- which is described as "build[ing] and custom-renovates mortgage-free
smart homes for the nation's most catastrophically injured veterans and first responders," in a release -- gifted James Howard, U.S. Army Captain, a renovated home in November 2022. Howard told 8News, “It’s the most gracious gift my family can receive. to know that I can spend the rest of my life in this home and that it will be in my family forever.”