Life wasn’t always easy for United States Navy veteran Eddie Browning, 61. Although he served his country heroically, he was not left with much support once he returned home after his service in the military. After a string of negative events, Browning and his wife, Cindy, found themselves struggling to live well in a dilapidated camper van in Georgia, and they didn’t have any money to repair it let alone for food or fire.

Because Browning’s camper had taken on some serious damage, it could no longer create heat. That meant that the veteran and his wife were dealing with a very difficult situation in the winter. They often slept in the cold, cuddling each other to keep warm from their body heat. This was no way for a veteran to live after serving our country bravely.

But Browning and his wife had no idea that there was a group of kids who wanted to help. Behind the scenes, the children were doing something wonderful that was going to take Browning and his wife by surprise.

It all started to unfold in the spring of 2017. Browning and his wife were invited to the Georgia Tiny Home Festival on a whim. It was held at a local farm, so it was not too far for them to travel. The homeless veteran and his wife thought they were just going to look at the marvelous tiny homes people have built around Georgia. They were wrong. The elementary school students had a much bigger plan in store for them. They wanted to give the couple a tiny home of their own.

When Browning and Cindy were presented with the tiny home at the festival in Eatonton, Georgia at the Ooh La La Lavender Farm, they were shocked.

“I don’t have the words to tell you what we feel,” Browning said through tears.

His wife, Cindy, said: “I couldn’t believe it. It’s a dream!”

The project was a long time in the making. The students at Elm Street Elementary school in Rome, Georgia, were the masterminds behind the amazing deed. They worked tirelessly to build the tiny home for the homeless veteran and his wife.

The school was not the only party involved. Corporate sponsors and other donors and volunteers also put their blood, sweat, and tears into the incredible tiny home. But it was the elementary school children who deserve the most credit. The Brownings couldn’t be happier to have a warm place of their own. I

“[This] will be warm. We’ve been freezing to death,” Browning said.

After a lifetime of service for the United States, Browning was left with nothing but a broken down camper that wasn’t suitable. Thankfully, these Georgia elementary school students knew what he needed and gave back.