When Home Depot associate Bart Zamora approached a customer wearing a Marines hat at store #1916 in Illinois to thank him for his service, he had no idea the magnitude of his service and personal story.
In November 2014, Michael Keltner attended the Marine Corps Ball – an annual tradition of his – feeling as healthy and happy as ever. Two months later, he would find himself in the hospital with the rare diagnosis of Leiomyosarcoma. This uncommon cancer of soft tissue is attributed to exposure to herbicides and pesticides, components of Agent Orange during Vietnam.
“He had never told us much about his service,” recalls his daughter Renee. “As soon as he said ‘I hope this isn’t connected to Vietnam,’ he started opening up. He shared more about his service than ever before, and we were so proud to hear the story behind the Bronze Star Medal he earned in combat by saving a pilot’s life.”
With his family by his side, Michael quickly began outpatient treatments for his condition. He became weak during chemotherapy, and minor issues in his home suddenly became full-fledged hazards. Reaching down for medicine in the bathroom was a painful ordeal, and uneven flooring had even caused him to trip and hit his head on the sharp corner of his kitchen countertops.
That’s when Bart met him in Home Depot, making keys so all of his kids could have access to his home when he needed help.
After learning more about his story, Bart went to work uniting Team Depot with Shane Duffy, a licensed contractor and Army veteran, and Steve Harvey to make Michael’s home more comfortable. From simple changes like rounding out the dangerous corners of the kitchen countertops to building out a whole new shelving system in his bathroom for ease of reach, the team tackled safety and accessibility issues throughout the home.
See more of Michael’s story and watch Team Depot and Shane Duffy in action in the below clip from Steve Harvey. Be sure to tune into Steve Harvey on Veterans Day for the full story.
