Keith and Brenda Murphy, Receive Life-Changing Gift at the 3rd Annual Baths for the Brave

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 5.5 million U.S. veterans are living with a disability; many face everyday challenges such as bathing. In honor of Veterans Day, Expo Home Improvement, a leading bath, shower, and walk-in-tub renovation company with locations in Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio, is teaming up with nine home improvement companies from across the country for the third annual Baths for the Brave.

This one-day special event is planned for Friday, Nov. 8, and will provide 17 veterans from across the country, including Keith and Brenda Murphy from Coppell with a brand-new tub or shower system, free of charge, to help improve the lives of those who sacrificed so much for our country. To date, Baths for the Brave has helped 19 veterans eliminate the everyday fight to bathe, and this year that number continues to grow.

Keith and Brenda met while serving our country in Korea. Keith was in the U.S. Army for four years as a Sergeant and specialized in Infantry, Mortars. Brenda served in a different unit of the military, but their paths crossed, and soon love was in the air. After returning to the U.S., Keith and Brenda got married and Keith started working as a truck driver.

In August 2018, while Keith was out on his motorcycle going through an intersection, he was hit by a car making an illegal left turn. The injuries he suffered were so significant, it forced his wife Brenda to make the decision to amputate his leg above the knee in order to save his life. "It was an incredibly difficult decision to make, but in the end, I chose to keep him alive, whatever the cost," Brenda explained. "For him to receive this honor and for you guys to make our bath more accessible to him is something I cannot thank you for enough."

Currently, Keith is training for the 2022 Paralympics for bobsledding. He refuses to let his injury define his life. "I may have lost my leg, but I refuse to lose my spirit, fight, and will to live," Keith said. "I try to make the best of it every day, but it's the struggle with the simple, everyday tasks like bathing that are very difficult for me."

"We are proud to be a part of Baths for the Brave's third year of helping veterans in need across our country," Expo Home Improvement marketing director, Amanda McDaniel, said. "Helping those who have done so much for this country already is the least we could do, and we're honored to be able to make a small improvement in the lives of our nation's heroes."

Baths for the Brave was created by Tundraland Home Improvements, a Wisconsin-based home remodeling company, as a way to provide local veterans and families in need with remodeled bathrooms, all free of charge. Brian Gottlieb, the creator of Baths for the Brave and owner of Tundraland, has a long-term goal to involve all 50 states. "Giving back is a fundamental way of life for us at Tundraland," Brian Gottlieb said. "It's more than what we do; it's who we are. Our whole team is on board and passionate about serving others, so growing this program nationwide was something we were all very excited about. We're thankful our partnering home improvement companies have similar values. To see this program extend into its third year is incredible."

All participating home improvement companies, including Tundraland, will donate 100 percent of their time and materials to a veteran in need from their own local community. The remodels across the country will all take place simultaneously. Additional participating companies also include:

• Alenco Home Improvement; Lenexa, Kan.
• Baths for Less; Tempe, Arizona
• Lifespan Home Improvements; Salt Lake City, Utah
• MaxHome; New Orleans, La. & Houston, Texas
• NEWPRO Home Improvement; Woburn, Mass.
• Reborn Bath Solutions; Anaheim, California
• Tundraland Home Improvements; Kaukauna, Wis.
• West Shore; Mechanicsburg, Pa.

For more information on Baths for the Brave, including more information about the Murphy family; additional veteran stories from across the country, why each company wanted to get involved, and how you can follow this special event, please visit https://bathsforthebrave.com/.