A "much-needed home away from home" for veterans and their families is set to be built at the newly-renamed veteran's hospital in Memphis.
The Lieutenant Colonel Luke Weathers Jr. VA Medical Center has partnered with the Fisher House Foundation to break ground on a place where families of veterans can stay at no cost while their loved one receives treatment.
This new "comfort house" is being built on the medical center's campus at 1030 Jefferson Avenue and is being built to be a "testament to the dedication and commitment of the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to support our country's heroes. "
The facility is said to be "state-of-the-art" once completed and is reportedly scheduled to open it's doors sometime in 2024.
Once completed, the home is said to 16-suite, 13,270+ sq. ft. Each bedroom suite will reportedly be equipped with a private and handicapped-accessible bathroom. Common areas are said to include a kitchen, large communal living, dining and family rooms, laundry room and a patio. Those who wish to see more information about the new Fisher House can click here.
On July 23, the Memphis VA hospital was renamed in honor of Tuskegee airman Lieutenant Colonel Luke Weathers Jr.
A Memphis native, Weathers enlisted in one of the first training programs open to African-American pilots and flew with the celebrated "Red Tails" during World War II.
He is credited with bringing down German and Italian planes during the war.
Congressman Steve Cohen introduced the bill to rename the hospital last year.
Weathers received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Congressional Gold Medal and other honors. He served as an air traffic controller in Memphis and died in 2011 at 90 years old.
Luke Weathers III, son of Weathers II, was front and center at the renaming event.
"This is historical — not only for our family — but for the Memphis community as a whole," Weathers II said.
