HUD-VASH team helps Marine Veteran Mathew Robie find a home after a fire - VAntage Point

Mathew Robie has always considered himself handy. He worked on helicopters for aviation ordinance as a Marine, serving from 1998 to 2002. A self-proclaimed survivor who does his best with what he has, he didn’t immediately reach out to VA for help when times were tough.

When Robie realized he no longer could afford the compounding bills required to maintain his home, he shifted gears. Carrying on the Marine attitude of “Improvise, adapt, overcome,” he moved into his truck, determined to turn his hardship into an opportunity to see more of the country he had served.

When Robie was ready to retire his life on the open road, he returned to California where he was born and raised. Just as he was enjoying the return to his roots, a fire in August 2020 forced Robie to evacuate the area. Also in the fire’s path of destruction were his hopes of finding a new place to live.