ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI) – Crews broke ground Tuesday morning on a new home for paralyzed Ballwin police officer Michael Flamion. It’s a new “smart home” being built on an 1.5 acre lot on Holloway Road in Ballwin, just down the street from the Ballwin Police Department.
It’s the first home of its kind to be built for a law enforcement officer by the Gary Sinise Foundation, an organization that helps injured military and first responders. The home will be custom built to accommodate Flamion’s injuries.
An iPad will allow Flamion to control many of the functions within the home like answering the door, raising the window blinds and controlling the heating/cooling, according to Chris Kuban with the Gary Sinise Foundation.
The Gary Sinise Foundation is getting some help from local business Shubert Design Furniture.
Jim Shubert, a board member for the Gary Sinise Foundation, has committed to fully furnishing the smart homes built by the foundation.
The foundation is also helping Hazelwood police officer Craig Tudor who was injured last August while responding to an emergency call, and veteran Chris Sanna who was shot and paralyzed during a robbery after leaving a Cardinals game in September 2015. In those cases, the foundation is modifying their current homes to make them more accessible.
Officer Flamion has gone through extensive therapy since he was shot. He is now able to carry a conversation, eat solid food and has regained some movement in his shoulders.
In anticipation of large crowds at the groundbreaking, police are making traffic adjustments. Holloway Road between Kerhs Mill and Seven Trails will be closed to traffic beginning at 9 a.m. Police are asking drivers to use Seven Trails Drive as a detour.
Shuttle service is available for the event from the Target parking lot at 15025 Manchester Road. The groundbreaking is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Holloway Road should be back open by 12:30 p.m.
The event is open to the public.
