Mike & Robbi Schlitz Welcomed Home in Georgia
“This is amazing, welcome everyone to our Forever Home.”– Robbi Schlitz
On October 30th, 2014 in Columbia, Georgia, amid the Color Guard, the Patriot Guard, The Carrington Companies, the Carrington Charitable Foundation, the Gary Sinise Foundation, Home Depot and countless other supporters, the home of Sergeant First Class Mike Schlitz US Army (Ret.) and his mother Robbi was finally revealed. We all are finally able to thank him for the sacrifices he has made for our nation and to help restore the feelings of freedom, dignity and independence he has bestowed to us all.
“There are some people who went way beyond what they needed to do to make this happen,” shared Sergeant First Class Mike Schlitz, US Army (Ret.) on the day of his home dedication as he presented a commemorative hatchet to the Carrington attendees at the dedication representing the part Carrington Charitable Foundation played in settling him and his mother, Robbi, into their forever home.
“It’s not just life-changing for me. It’s also life-changing for my mother. She’s given up everything since the day I got hurt to be my caregiver,” shared Mike. The Carrington Companies and Carrington Charitable Foundation supported The Gary Sinise Foundation’s R.I.S.E. program to help make this home build a success. By donating the project management services and fundraising efforts necessary to construct this specially adapted home for Mike and Robbi the foundations as a team were able to deliver Mike and Robbi home.
In 2007, Mike and his platoon were in Southern Baghdad performing a basic road-clearing mission to identify Improvised Explosive Devices when a roadside bomb with two artillery shells attached to a propane tank exploded, setting his entire body on fire. Mike was thrown from the vehicle and survived, sustaining burns on 85% of his body, loss of vision in his left eye, and the loss of both of his hands.
After 14 years of service, he medically retired from the United States Army in March of 2010. Since then, Mike has found himself on a journey that has shaped and motivated him to live life with a special purpose: giving back to Veteran and Ranger communities. Mike has returned to Iraq three times to mentor wounded and non-wounded Veterans, supported the establishment of several new non-profit organizations, and had the honor of speaking at the US Army Ranger Graduation class on Veterans Day 2011.
Mike will continue his quest until every service member comes home safely. It’s a demanding quest, but he’s claimed he will “gladly carry that torch now. On the day I got hurt, I lost my entire crew. Now, I want to live a better life for them. A life they would be proud of.”