City steps up to help repair a deployed soldier’s home after severe storm damage


By Brett Gillin

Sergeant Bradshaw Nunnally is serving his country and homeland while deployed at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, but wasn’t able to protect his house from recent natural disasters. After significant storms in Davenport last week, the foundation of Nunnally’s home collapsed. Unfortunately, Nunnally was notified that his insurance would not cover the damage.

According to this story on WQAD.com, the first thing Nunnally did after learning his insurance would not cover the damages was to email the city. Nunnally reached out through the City of Davenport’s website, asking for their advice as to what he should do. Rather than getting wrapped up in red tape, as is so often the case when dealing with city governments, The City of Davenport quickly responded.

The city immediately sent out several Public Works employees to stabilize Nunnally’s house and prevent any further damage from occurring. Where many cities may have stopped there, The City of Davenport was only getting started. On July 9th, the Davenport City Council met and unanimously approved a forgivable loan to Nunnally for up to $40,000 so he could immediately begin making repairs to his damaged home.

“In a normal circumstance, if the home could not be repaired, we would demolish it and send the person the bill. This person happens to be someone wearing the uniform, on active duty, in a war zone–that seemed to be the exactly wrong thing to do,” Davenport City Administrator Craig Malin told WQAD.com.

Malin went on to explain that he immediately signed a contract worth around $37,000 to begin working on the home. Janeta McGowan, Nunnally’s girlfriend, was overwhelmed by the response. She told reporters “it’s a blessing, because I really thought he was going to come home to nothing after serving the country. I was like, ‘He’s gonna come home to nothing. Nothing at all. Not even a house over his head.’ For the City of Davenport to step up, that has actually been wonderful.”

Nunnally, who has been in service to his country for 24 years, emailed to thank the City of Davenport employees for the actions they’ve taken on his behalf. Nunnally is scheduled to come home from Afghanistan in July of 2015, and thanks to the quick work of the city, he will have a house to come home to. Work on the home began on Monday, July 14th.

Image courtesy: WQAD video below.

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