Army veteran is welcomed to new home in Lakewood Ranch

Veteran Lucio Gaytan and his family are ready to move into their new home provided by Pulte, Building Homes for Heroes, and SMR.

By Liz Ramos
| 5:00 a.m. July 16, 2023

Representatives from PulteGroup’s Built to Honor program and Building Homes for Heroes welcomes the Gaytan family to their new home in Sapphire Point of Lakewood Ranch.

East County
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Retired Army Sgt. Lucio Gaytan was in awe when the garage door to his family's new home opened.

He watched as his 6-year-old son, Lucious Gaytan, ran to his new bike.

The toys and golf cart in the garage were just the beginning for the Gaytan family.

The Gaytan family went on to tour their new home in Sapphire Point of Lakewood Ranch July 12.

"I stand before you as humble as I can be and grateful and thankful for my family," Gaytan said before the ribbon cutting for his home. "This is a great honor. A great weight from my shoulders has come off knowing that my family is going to be OK. Allowing us to do this is like a reset so we can start moving forward."

PulteGroup's Built to Honor program, which included a partnership with Building Homes for Heroes and Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, constructed the mortgage-free home for the Gaytans.

Gaytan joined the military in 1996 and was injured during a parachute jump while training for deployment to Afghanistan in 2005. He continued with his deployment and served the rest of his career despite his injuries. He retired in 2018.

He had herniated discs, a degenerative disc disease, a lumbar sacral injury and spinal stenosis.

The Gaytan family is saluted by Del Webb veterans as they walk the red carpet.

Josh Graeve, the Pulte Southwest Florida Division president, says the Gaytan home in Sapphire Point of Lakewood Ranch is the 77th home for PulteGroup’s Built to Honor Program.

Andy Prujol, the founder of Building Homes for Heroes, asks the Gaytan family if they are excited to enter their new home.

Retired Army Sgt. Lucio Gaytan says he's humbled and grateful for his family's new home in Sapphire Point of Lakewood Ranch.

Ivette Gaytan celebrates being able to move into her family's new home in Sapphire Point of Lakewood Ranch with her 1-year-old daughter Lyanna, 6-year-old son Lucious and husband, Lucio Gaytan.

People line the street to welcome the Gaytan family to their new home in Sapphire Point of Lakewood Ranch.

The Gaytan family (center) is supported by dozens of veterans.

Concepcion Gaytan, Army Sgt. Lucio Gaytan, 6-year-old Lucious Gaytan, Ivette Gaytan and 1-year-old Lyanna Gaytan are welcomed to their new home.

Army Sgt. Lucio Gaytan and his wife, Ivette Gaytan, help their 1-year-old daughter Lyanna Gaytan play with the toys that came with their new home.

author

Liz Ramos

Managing Editor Liz Ramos previously covered education and community for the East County Observer. Before moving to Florida, Liz was an education reporter for the Lynchburg News & Advance in Virginia for two years after graduating from the Missouri School of Journalism.