Every now and again you read one of those stories that tugs at your heart and leaves you with a smile on your face.

The story of Army veteran Ben Eberle, his family, and their new smart home in Alpena this week was one of those.

Theirs is a story of tragedy, tears, hope, frustration, inspiration, courage and community all rolled into one. Theirs is a story that began in Mio, traveled thousands of miles across the globe into Afghanistan and this week, landed in Alpena. Along the way the story took a detour to Berkley, Mich., where students collected pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and dollars to assist in building the family’s new smart house.

It is a story of people helping people. It is the way life is supposed to be but unfortunately, often is altered by things like shootings in Orlando.

It is a story of patriotism – of red, white and blue. It is a story of a true American hero and his family, who were presented a new home on what other day than Flag Day, of course.

Eberle was probably an average teenager in Mio, when he graduated from high school in 2005. With the thought of Sept. 11, 2001, still fresh in many of his and his peers’ minds, he traveled to Alpena soon after graduation and enlisted in the Army.

In the Army Eberle was a combat engineer and his travels with Uncle Sam took him to Korea and also to Iraq, where he did a 15-month stint. Ironically, it was on the 10th anniversary of the World Trade Center crashes – Sept. 11, 2011 – when he and his unit, the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, were deployed to Afghanistan.

And it was there, just over two months later, that Eberle, while his unit was on a clearing patrol in the Tangi Valley, was injured in an explosion from an improvised explosion device that took his right arm and both legs.

Unfortunately over the years Americans have become all too familiar with IED as a new part of their language. Yet it is one thing to read about it in the newspaper. It is another to meet someone like Eberle and understand very vividly the extent of its damage.

In truth, Eberle is probably lucky to have survived the attack. And it is at this point where you can imagine all the thoughts that must have been running through his and his family’s head at the time. Back in Texas, he began a long and arduous road to recovery. It was a time of ups and downs, trials and triumphs. It was an emotional roller coaster that probably only wounded veterans’ families can truly appreciate.

The back story from 9-11 continued to have an impact on Eberle’s life. Somehow the Stephen Sillers Tunnels to Tower Foundation got hold of Eberle’s story and wanted to build his family a home. The foundation, which provides handicapped accessible homes to American veterans, decided that Eberle’s home would be the 50th built for a veteran. The foundation honors the life of New York City firefighter Stephen Gerald Siller who lost his life that tragic day.

It is here in the story where one sees truth to the African proverb that it takes a village, or a community, to raise a child. Or, in this story, it took the cooperation and partnership of many to see Eberle’s family’s dream of a smart home become reality. In addition to the tremendous support of the Sillers Foundation, corporations like Home Depot, General Motors and of course, those school children from Berkley, rallied to the cause. The generous outpouring of finances and support from many has been overwhelming.

Back in Mio there is a sign that always gives me pause for reflection every time I pass it. While not remembering its exact wording, it urges motorists to not repeat the mistake of Vietnam by not welcoming home veterans, but rather today to embrace them as they return home to their communities.

Tuesday, on Flag Day, Northeast Michigan welcomed with open arms and warmly embraced a true American hero and his family back home again!

Bill Speer can be reached via email at bspeer@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 354-3111 ext. 331. Follow Bill on Twitter @billspeer13. Read his blog, More BS?(Bill Speer) at www.thealpenanews.com.