What once felt like an impossible dream for Warren Childs to live comfortably in his own home after suffering injuries as a Marine in Afghanistan is now a reality thanks to The Frozen Chosen.  

On July 15, the nonprofit’s founder Luke Opp held a ceremonial ribbon cutting to mark the completion of ten months of construction and two-and-a-half years of planning to make Childs' home accessible. The upgrades totaled more than $580,000, but The Frozen Chosen raised $57,000, and more than 25 vendors came together to donate labor and materials so that the Childs family didn't pay a dime. 

"We're feeling a lot of gratefulness," said Childs' wife Christine. "I think it's kind of surreal that it's done and that it's for our family. We're feeling extremely grateful." 

Childs, a veteran of the Marine Corps, was deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. He and his dog Ringo worked to locate improvised explosive devices, but Childs' truck was hit by one just a few months into his deployment. 

Initially, Childs hid the symptoms he suffered from the attack, including seizures, memory issues and balance problems. He and Ringo went on to locate more than a dozen IEDs before Childs left the Marine Corps and worked for the company that trains dogs and handlers to locate and handle bombs, training more than 300 marines like himself.  

Meanwhile, Childs’ seizures and tremors continued to worsen. Doctors at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital in Florida — one of five facilities around the country that specializes in treating veterans with traumatic brain injuries — told Childs that his neurological function was going to deteriorate. The only question was how quickly it would happen.   

The family moved to Montana to be closer to the mountains and enjoy a slower pace of life. Childs experienced a few good years before his health began to decline again, and he frequently collapsed from seizures and tremors. As the neurological condition progressed, Childs found that he was no longer able to comfortably live in his own home. 

Childs was denied grants from Veterans Affairs and other veteran assistance groups to bring his home into compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act standards, in large part because he wasn't an amputee. Remodeling the family's home seemed like a far-off dream until a pivotal conversation with Opp at Black Rifle Coffee Company two-and-a-half years ago.  

Opp, also a Marine Corps veteran, founded the Bigfork-based nonprofit The Frozen Chosen in 2022 after a group of Bigfork veterans started regularly cold plunging at Wayfarers State Park, a practice Opp believes helps veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Inspired by the camaraderie, Opp set out to start an organization to support struggling veterans financially, whether it was a tank of gas or a mortgage payment.  

Childs applied for assistance from The Frozen Chosen, and, after meeting Childs and hearing his story, Opp knew he was in a position to help. As a general contractor and owner of Glacier Mountain Builders, he had the experience and the contacts to renovate the Childs' home, but he also knew it would be a big ask for a small nonprofit with no paid employees. All of the money raised would go directly toward helping veterans.  

The Frozen Chosen held the inaugural 4 Miles to Freedom fun run in Kalispell in 2024 to raise funds for the building materials, with another run held in Libby the following year. This year's race was held in Bigfork for the first time and was a victory lap as participants celebrated the completion of the renovations.  

Opp said The Frozen Chosen raised $57,000 for the project and community members rallied behind the vision and, through donated labor and materials, contributed more than $500,000 to the Childs home. Construction started in October, with a goal of minimizing disruptions to the family, and wrapped up 10 months later in July. 

The project added 1,5000 square feet of space to the house, including a brand-new recovery room for Childs, and expanded the office space. The master bedroom and master bathroom were remodeled to be accessible for Childs, along with every doorway and hallway. In addition, the house's floors and siding were completely redone and the front yard was re-sodded,  

As a final step, Opp arranged for a new flagpole to be installed in the front yard.  

"For me as a spouse, it's so important be able to care for him in his own space well and allow him to have the freedom in his space as much as possible, while still maintaining family life and allowing him to have dignity," Christine said.  

Led by Opp's Glacier Mountain Builders, more than 25 vendors contributed labor and supplies to the renovations, an impressive community undertaking to support a wounded veteran. When Opp first started cold plunging in Flathead Lake four years ago, the idea was to give three minutes of sacrifice, and those three minutes turned into something much larger. 

"Somebody sacrificed something in some way, whether it's money, whether it's travel, or whether it's being a gold-star family that has lost someone in combat," Opp said. "We've had so many people show up." 

Contributors to the Child home include LP Building Solutions, Rob Giles Electric, Crescent Electric Supply, Northwest Pipe Fitting, SM Roofing, Grizzly Heating and Air, Dynamic Drywall, Taylor Insulation, Cost Less Carpet, Northwest Drywall, Western Building Center, Wise Choice Garage Doors, LHC, Raymond Concrete Enterprises, Mr. Hankey's Porta Potties, OrePac Building Products, Sliter's Lumber and Building Supply, Mildren Plumbing, Alumaglass, Therma-Tru Doors, Harper Tile and Flooring, Jensen Construction and Cabinets, Kalispell Hauling and Excavating, Flathead Valley Sod, Highcrest Builders, JM MT Construction and McLean Construction.  

Reporter Elsa Ericksen can be reached at 406-758-4459 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.

    The newly renovated Childs home, celebrated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 15. More than 25 vendors contributed over $500,000 in labor and materials to complete the project. (Courtesy Luke Opp)
  

    Raising the flag on the newly installed flagpole outside the Childs home. (Courtesy Luke Opp)