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DeFuniak Springs single mother receives surprise assistance from NFL legend Warrick Dunn

A local single mother of three became a first-time homeowner Oct. 28 along with unexpected help from a former NFL star's charity organization.
Contributed photo

Samantha arrived at her new Habitat for Humanity home expecting to begin a new chapter with her three children. Instead, she found former Florida State and Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Warrick Dunn waiting in the driveway.

  • Warrick Dunn Charities presented Samantha with a $5,000 down payment assistance check and furnished her DeFuniak Springs home with $10,000 worth of items from Aaron’s, the national rent-to-own retailer.

The celebration marked the 246th home nationwide supported by the charity through its “Homes for the Holidays” program, which identifies single parents and helps them achieve first-time homeownership. While the homes are earned and financed through Habitat for Humanity, the charity alleviates the financial burden of furnishing a new home with support from sponsors including Aaron’s and Ryan Jumonville.

  • The date held special significance for Dunn, who wore the number 28 throughout his NFL career.

Samantha, an administrative professional at Ascension Sacred Heart Medical Group, supports her family of four, including her 15-year-old son, 8-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter. She completed hundreds of hours of “sweat equity” through Habitat for Humanity Walton County to reach this milestone.

The program ensures new homeowners receive fully furnished, move-in ready homes, allowing families to focus on settling in rather than purchasing essential furniture and household items.

PROMOTION

One Response

  1. We know Samantha and her children personally. What a blessing this is for her family. I can attest to the fact that the Brown family is certainly deserving of these blessings.

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Community Comments

“And the whole $83million will be under water in the not too distant future.”
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“The county property appraisers site lists market value as $10,486,602 . While the appraisers market value is typically lower than what the property might sell for by law it is...”
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“Another issue , that Governor DeSantis hasn’t considered is is the adjacent property was once owned by the government , Eglin AFB. We have endangered bird and turtle populations they...”
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Michael L. Cobb commented on WordroW: December 5, 2025
“4 min 13 sec”
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Michael L. Cobb commented on WordroW: December 4, 2025
“30seconds”
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“Exactly, people that don’t know our area , have no idea … there putting it at the end of a two lane one way in , one way out …...”
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“Tell us about the boat docks, how many parking spaces will be for boaters and will there be a marina?”
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“50% should be handicapped parking spots. There is a bus in place and cycling available.”
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“Well at least 50% handicapped parking spaces.”
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“There is a lot of space for bicycle and e-bike parking. Only allow handicapped parking for people that need to drive. A county bus also goes there. No excuse. It...”
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