An Invictus Games gold medalist training for the U.S. Paralympic team is putting down roots in Rockwall County, with a mortgage-free home in Fate and a community Welcome Home ceremony on the way.
Rockwall County announced Wednesday, Aug. 12, that Staff Sgt. Gregory Walker, 37, will receive the keys to his new home in the Monterra master-planned community, surrounded by neighbors, supporters and community leaders.
Building Homes for Heroes, partnering with David Weekley Homes and Monterra developer Wynne/Jackson, broke ground on the home April 23. The national nonprofit formally announced the gift at its National Capitol Classic golf outing in Washington, D.C., on May 5.
"Between Staff Sergeant Walker's determination in the face of a life-changing diagnosis … these are the stories that drive our mission every day," Andy Pujol, founder and CEO of Building Homes for Heroes, said May 5 at the organization's golf outing in Washington.
From Mississippi to Afghanistan to the track
Walker grew up in Brookhaven, Mississippi, and joined the Air Force in February 2008. He served more than 12 years in security forces, deploying three times to Afghanistan.
In 2017, while stationed in Italy, Walker began experiencing problems with his left leg. After returning stateside in 2018, an MRI revealed a cancerous tumor in his foot. The diagnosis: synovial sarcoma, a rare cancer found near large joints.
Chemotherapy followed. His left leg was amputated below the knee in November 2019. The Air Force medically retired him with an honorable discharge in May 2020, and the Department of Veterans Affairs later assigned him a 100% disability rating.
Defense Department Warrior Games to Invictus gold
Walker didn't stop competing. He joined Team Air Force at the Department of Defense Warrior Games, taking on wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, cycling, track, field, shooting and rowing.
In September 2023, he represented the United States at the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf, Germany, earning a gold medal in indoor rowing against competitors from around the world.
He now trains at the Adaptive Training Foundation in Dallas with a specific goal: becoming a Paralympic sprinter. Track and field, not wheelchair rugby, is his Paralympic pursuit.
A home in Rockwall County
Building Homes for Heroes has provided more than 475 mortgage-free homes to veterans nationwide and holds a perfect four-star Charity Navigator rating for seven consecutive years. The organization is marking its 20th anniversary in 2026.
Walker's home sits in Monterra, a Fate community within Rockwall ISD boundaries. A David Weekley Homes representative posted an invitation on Instagram Aug. 5 asking Fate and Rockwall residents to attend the ceremony wearing red, white and blue.
