Minnie Whitzel, a Marine Corps veteran who served over three decades, had never heard of the television show “Moving with the Military” before producers chose her to appear on their July 2 episode. But they certainly knew about her legacy of service — and that their team should renovate her home.
“When I read about Minnie’s story, I was so touched,” said Maria Reed, an Army veteran wife, Army mom and the show’s executive producer. “She does so much and gives back to her community on a continual basis. And she needed help but would never ask, so I knew we had to help her.”
Community rallies around deserving veteran
Whitzel, a Salado, Texas resident, joined the Marines in 1973, serving 17 active-duty and 14 Marine Reserve years before retiring in 2008. Working mainly as an administrative chief before finishing out in hospitals and mortuary affairs, she founded VFW Post 12235 and volunteered for multiple veteran causes but found herself sleeping on an air mattress at the age of 74. She had no washer or dryer, instead using a laundromat to clean clothes, and only had some folding tables for furniture.
It all added up to the perfect candidate for a special America 250-themed episode of “Moving with the Military,” a streaming show appearing on VetstreamTV, YouTube and Facebook that surprises nominated veterans and military families with no-cost home makeovers. Reed and her husband Patrick, a retired soldier, host the show, and have renovated 86 homes since its founding in 2016.
“The stories we hear from these veterans are so moving and impactful,” said Reed, who has a background in film and television. “But with Minnie’s makeover, what really hit me was the community that came out to help.”
Dozens of volunteers, many of them veterans, tackled home projects and needs like new landscaping, gutters, doors, plumbing, painting, light fixtures, furniture and beadboard over the course of 11 days, some of them in heavy rain. The project scope — nearly the entire house and yard — was far larger than most renovations the Reeds take on, as a typical “Moving with the Military” episode focuses on just one room or area.
The ‘overwhelming’ big reveal
The team sent Whitzel to a hotel for the final few days, so the “big reveal” would be a true surprise. The moment lived up to its buildup.
“My reaction was one that I’ll never forget,” said Whitzel, who named the master bedroom and living rooms as her favorites. “The excitement to see the transformation was overwhelming. Never in a million years did I ever expect so much to be done in one week to an old, smelly house that would have taken me years to do.”
Relatedly, Reed sees her connection to Whitzel and the other “Moving with the Military” recipients as years-long projects, too.
“We don’t just want to do the makeover and walk away,” she said. “We get and understand the military life; we love our military community. So we want to be part of their lives and watch their journeys, because you can’t take anything with you, but you can help people feel better.”
Winning ‘the lottery’
With a deployment to the Middle East under her belt and resulting PTSD, the Marine took solace in the entire experience.
“I’m still dealing with PTSD. This is a hidden illness that never goes away; one just learns how to deal with it and manage it as best I can,” Whitzel said. “The feeling of loneliness is something that will never heal — I just learn to manage it.”
But standing in front of her beautiful “new” home told Whitzel something of significance: her service mattered, and she wasn’t forgotten.
“The biggest difference the Reeds and ‘Moving with the Military’ have made in my life is that I can believe in myself and others,” she said. “I have never won anything in my life, not even a free drawing, and I feel like I won the lottery.”
To watch this special America250 episode, go to the “Moving with the Military” YouTube channel, Facebook page, or VetstreamTV. To nominate a deserving veteran or military family for a makeover, click here.
