Dolphins assist with veteran's home rebuilding project

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (WSVN) -- The Miami Dolphins and other local organizations took time to help rebuild a South Florida family's home.

Local organization Rebuilding Together Broward organized the project, which is currently renovating the home of U.S. Navy veteran Leslye Lea and her family, including her 16-year-old daughter and 79-year-old mother, who is battling cancer. Lea said, "My mom right now, she's battling colon rectal cancer, so I've been dealing with chemo and radiation, and now we've got to do surgery."

Lea's decades-old home had a severely leaking roof and other major repair issues, so Hollywood Code Enforcement referred Lea's case to Rebuilding Together Broward. The organization has been working for the past several weeks to renovate Lea's home. "The homeowner qualified, just under the fact that Grandma Evelyn, she's an elderly homeowner," said Sandra Einhorn of Rebuilding Together Broward, "and here in Broward, we focus on elderly, disabled, and veterans."

On Tuesday, Miami Dolphins players and other volunteers rolled up their sleeves and helped out with the rebuilding project. They painted shutters and walls, broke down cement walls and worked to repair the roof of the home. Dolphins safety Tyrone Culver said, "A lot of people, they don't know us. On the field, we have our helmets on. We're really doing our jobs, but when you get a chance off the field to give back to the community that gives us so much support, it's nice to give back."

"It's a lot of work, and there's a lot of great volunteers out here to help, so it'll get done and get done the right way," said Dolphins tight end Anthony Fasano.

"It's fun," Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline said. "We enjoy doing it, but I think, in the end, it's more about giving back to a military family and to give back to someone that's given so much to our community and to our country."

Lea is grateful for all those who have helped out. "It's crazy, it's very overwhelming, it's awesome. Very thankful, very blessed," she said. "I'm proud to have served my Navy well, and I'm just so grateful."

The rebuilding project should be completed in a few weeks.

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