SFC Sean Gittens

Appling, GA

Mission Accomplished on August 18, 2012

 
Army Sergeant First Class Sean Gittens joined the Army shortly after high school as an artilleryman, serving in the 101st Airborne Division, and the 1St and 3rd Infantry Divisions.  He fought in the Gulf War, and deployed again to Iraq in 2003 and 2007.  On his last deployment, he sustained a traumatic brain injury as a result of a number of severe concussions from improvised explosive device (IED) blasts.

This injury resulted in a brain aneurysm and subsequent stroke that left him paralyzed on his right side, and unable to speak.  Treated at multiple hospitals, both military and civilian, SFC Gittens now receives care from trained medical personnel and his family in his HFOT home.  Sean was medically retired in 2010 after 21 years of service.

SFC Gittens and his wife Sharon have four children and they enjoy spending time together as a family. Prior to his injuries Sean enjoyed basketball, swimming and music. He also loved playing games with his family.

The video monitoring system in their HFOT home gives Sharon relief that Sean is safe when she is not there. Having this peace of mind has enabled her to continue her education and career. In 2018, Sharon graduated from Helms College as the Salutatorian of her class, and she has since earned an associate’s degree in culinary arts. She plans on expanding her family-run business, Jamaica Way Café, into a bigger restaurant. “It feels really good to go back to school, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Thank you to everyone who contributed to our HFOT home and made it possible,” she says.

Sharon says the entire family enjoys including Sean in their activities whenever possible, and continues to participate in the things together that he enjoyed before his injury, including going to movies and restaurants. She is grateful to be living in a home adapted to Sean’s injuries. “Thank you for all that you do to support our men and women who risk their lives for our freedom. The assistance of receiving a specially adapted home from Homes For Our Troops eliminates many of our daily challenges and gives Sean the freedom to have access to his entire home…he is able to interact more with our family.”