A hero’s welcome: Southaven celebrates William Brooks’ new home
Army Sergeant William Brooks (middle) raises the flag at his new home in Southaven on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation provided Brooks, a veteran who lost his legs while fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom, with a new, fully furnished home. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
A community gathered in Silo Square on Wednesday to celebrate retired U.S. Army Sgt. William Brooks, a Purple Heart recipient and Southaven native, as he received a mortgage-free smart home from the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
The ceremony, marked by heartfelt speeches and emotional tributes, underscored Brooks' unwavering sacrifice and his enduring impact on his hometown.
“Any day you can welcome home a true American hero is a great day,” said Jack Oehm, retired battalion commander from the FDNY and a Tunnel to Towers Foundation board member, who served as the event’s master of ceremonies.
Brooks, a former Southaven alderman, joined the Army National Guard in 1999, and two years later, after the terrorist attacks on 9/11, he put everything else on hold to serve in the Iraq War.
This is an excerpt of this story. To read more, please click here and subscribe.
Topics
Tunnels to Towers William Brooks City of Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite Silo Square Subscriber OnlyAre you enjoying your subscription?
Your subscription gives you unlimited access to all of The Daily Memphian’s news, written by nearly 40 local journalists and more than 20 regular freelancers. We work around the clock to cover the issues that impact your life and our community.
You can help us reach more Memphians.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we provide free news access at K-12 schools, public libraries and many community organizations. We also reach tens of thousands of people through our podcasts, and through our radio and television partnerships – all completely free to everyone who cares about Memphis.
When you subscribe, you get full access to our news. But when you donate, you help us reach all Memphians.
Pay it forward. Make a fully tax-deductible donation to The Daily Memphian today.
Thank you for reading the local news. Thank you for investing in our community.
Brandon LaGrone II
Brandon LaGrone Jr. is a Bluff City native who has earned an undergraduate degree in journalism from LSU’s Manship School. He’s written for publications including The (Baton Rouge) Advocate and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Suburbs - North Mississippi on demand
Sign up to receive Suburbs - North Mississippi stories as they’re published.
Enter your e-mail address
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.