96 Year Old World War Two Vet Goes Home

After spending 17 months in a Danbury nursing home due to a fall that deemed him unfit to care for himself, 96 year old World War Two veteran, Louis Russo, got to go home.

Mr. Russo, who's a New Fairfield resident, was deemed too disabled by a social worker and was shipped off to a nursing home by a probate court-appointed conservator who spent his life savings and moved renters into his home. Friends led by Dan Gaita, a former Marine from Bethel, took it upon himself to pressure the probate court to make things right. Area volunteers came together including Felina Feliciano, 16, a Brewster High School student and a member of the Semper Fi club, which does service work for troops. Feliciano and her friends have been doing extensive clean up work at the house and were the first to salute Russo as Dan Gaita drove him up to the house.

All Mr. Russo knew was that Mr. Gaita was picking him up for a Veterans Day breakfast and then they were going to drive by the house. As they approached the house, Russo asked, "Why are all these flags waving?" and then the tears began to fall when Louis Russo realized he was being driven home. Many good hearted people invested their time, energy, and money to remodel Russo's old home. Gaita told Russo and the welcome party in the freshly remodeled living room, "You now have a new family my friend."