Arkansas father and son find forever home through Habitat for Humanity after March 31 tornado destruction

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Will and Jalen Piggee were living in the Sturbridge area when the March 31 tornado swept through central Arkansas and destroyed their apartment.

They moved from friends' and families' homes, hoping their apartment would be fixed again.

"Those apartments were mostly totally damaged that whole area, and they still are rebuilding that area as of today," Will Piggee said.

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Will and Jalen became a family on December 16, 2021, after Will adopted Jalen. Jalen had been in and out of foster care homes, and when he came to Will, it only took three months before they headed to the judge for adoption.

When the tornado came, it was not only a scary moment, but single father Will felt guilt for not being able to provide Jalen more in the following months.

"Saying in my head but never saying it to him, here we go again with this going on, like what he was used to from bouncing back from home to home," Will Piggee said.

That was until Will learned about Habitat for Humanity through Arkansas's Single Parent Scholarship.

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"No, I would have never been a homeowner without Habitat for Humanity," Will Piggee said.

His motivating factor for applying was his son. Jalen encouraged his dad while he was continuing to obtain his bachelor's degree in elementary education and throughout the building of their Habitat for Humanity home.

"Being here in this house is a blessing today," Jalen Piggee said.

Will Piggee believes that "God always had a perfect plan," and they are living in their forever home.