The Range Family

While attending college at Jacksonville University on a football scholarship, U.S. Army Spc. Haywood Range III enlisted in the military on June 7, 2011. He completed basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was sent to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, to prepare for an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan.

During a training exercise, Range was injured in an accident that ended his military career. On Sept. 2, 2012, his unit’s military vehicle rolled down a mountain, flipping over approximately 10 times. The accident left many in the unit injured and resulted in the amputation of Range’s right arm.

Following the amputation at San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC) at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, he received major vascular surgery and treatment for chest fractures. Range is in the process of medically retiring. For his service, he has been honored with various medals, including an Army Achievement Medal, a Good Conduct Medal and a Marksmanship Badge with a Rifle Bar.  

Range lived in Florida with wife, Whitney, and their two daughters: Tara, 6; Talia, 5; and son, Raiden, 3. Range has been able to return to his love of sports through his participation in an adaptive sports team, where he was involved in two triathlons. In 2015, Range will return to college to finish a degree in exercise science, and he has received several offers to participate in adaptive sports at the collegiate level. Upon graduation, he hopes to get a job coaching football.

Thanks to PulteGroup Built to Honor Program and the H-E-B Tournament of Champions, the Range family has a home to call their own!