Five years ago Sgt. Leonid Milkin’s family and everything they had built were taken away while he was serving in Iraq with the National Guard. But thanks to countless volunteers from the Eastside and greater Puget Sound community, over 80 businesses and organizations and one very driven stay-at-home Kirkland mom with a gigantic heart, Milkin was finally able to come home to stay on May 28.

“I am just overwhelmed with emotions. God cares and people care. This means so much to me,” said Milkin in his new bedroom full of TV cameras, volunteers and friends, holding a picture of his wife and sons who were murdered in the house that was burned to the ground to hide the crimes committed by Conner Schierman. “I am very excited because I feel like I have a future. … This is an amazing Memorial Day and I am most grateful my family is not forgotten.”

The finishing touches were still being worked on by more than 60 as Milkin walked under a giant American flag hanging from Ralph’s Concrete pump-truck’s boom arm leading to the front door. A knock from the front porch let those inside know that Sgt. Milkin had come home.

“There he is,” said Michelle Yousef, the community volunteer who has organized all of the donations, workers and organizations from the start as she scurried to get into position.

Painting, landscaping and installing siding on the new garage were all things that Milkin knew the volunteers would be working on that day. But the biggest surprise came in care of Bellevue’s Greenbaum Home Furnishings. The business stepped forward with a donation of $35,000 worth of new furnishings that were set up throughout the house.

“I was so angry when I heard about the murders,” said Cindy Greenbaum, who lives in Kirkland. She co-owns the Greenbaum store with brothers Jon and Steve, who were also at the event. “I felt so much for Sergeant Milkin. It is so tragic and to happen in our own backyard. But I feel like I should be digging in the backyard, too.”

The donation came to the house that only had Milkin’s mattress on the upstairs bedroom floor, a single bookcase and one table.

“It is so nice to be able to give back to a community that has given so much to us,” said Jon Greenbaum, whose eyes were tired and red from emotions.

Milkin gave all three Greenbaum representatives a big hug and thanked them multiple times for filling the house. The donation even included a desk with a picture of his wife and two sons under a lit lamp.

“I love this,” said Milkin, fighting back tears.

Yousef had a difficult time fighting back the tears as well.

“This has been just 16 months for me, but it has been five years for him,” said Yousef, who became active in community volunteering with one of her three children who has special needs. “He has become a part of my extended family. We all have a connection to him. I feel like I have been able to know Olga and the boys through this process. It was Olga’s dream to remodel the home.”

It was that dream that has helped Milkin to heal in a small way.

“I think Olga is helping to do this,” said Milkin. “What happened to my life is not going to define it.”

Along with volunteers and community members, King County Deputy Prosecutor Scott O’Toole attended the homecoming with his son.

“I have tried some very high profile cases and never seen such a high level of support, love and generosity. It is just incredible,” said O’Toole, who added that trying the case was the most difficult and draining thing he had ever done. “I wanted to be here. Leo and I have a strong connection and friendship. We had breakfast yesterday and he had no idea what was going to happen today. What the Greenbaums have done is so generous. The community too.”

Many of the workers and community volunteers said they have felt a bond grow with Milkin through the process and went out of their way to describe Milkin as a very kind and loving man.

One of the biggest groups working on the house on Saturday was Bellevue’s Construction Industry Training Council (CITC) of Washington, which actually crafted classes for students around the rebuild.

“We have seven trades all working to help complete the project,” said CITC President Halene Sigmund. “They are all in full support and very excited to be involved. Leonid is a very kind man and we are very honored to do this for him.”

CITC members have worked on everything from painting, to plumbing, to carpentry and electrical.

The CITC even had some board members, staff and former graduates come out to help.

“There is always a special place in my heart for a veteran in need,” said Adam Pinsky, who is a former chair of the CITC board and veteran of the first Gulf War. “We take care of our own.”

Most of the materials for the rebuild came via donations. One of those donations, the shingles for the garage, came from a couple in Port Townsend.

“They drove all the way down here dropped them off and drove back home,” said Yousef. “Just amazing.”

Another community volunteer with construction connections that helped in a big way was Kirkland resident JJ Johnson, owner of Astrof Concrete.

“He did the foundation, came back and is now helping to build the deck right now,” said Yousef. “He has done so much.”

Another aspect to the creation of the house was the interior design work done by Melaine Thompson, who runs her own business out of Woodinville and a blog called “My Sweet Savannah.” Thompson had driven from Chelan County to Kirkland earlier that morning just to be at the house for Milkin’s return.

One of her final touches was a message above the fireplace painted by Thompson that read: “We do not remember moments. The richness of life lies in memories we have not forgotten.”

Some of Milkin’s family came to see the new home as well.

“It is really beautiful. There are a lot of memories,” said Milkin’s sister Annetta. “It is hard to be upstairs. But they are here in memory. It is bittersweet.”

Milkin’s uncle Nick also accompanied his nephew and asked if he could help on Saturday. He was told no so he could enjoy the day.

“I am a carpenter and asked if I could bring my tools,” said Nick Milkin. “They told me I didn’t need them. They have so many people here.”

Sgt. Milkin said that he would like to give something back to the community that has helped him. He and Yousef will work to set up a fund raiser for a scholarship in his family’s name. For now he will settle for a community barbecue sometime after the Fourth of July in the house it took an entire community to build.

As for the pain of losing his family, the new house can only go so far, but Leonid Milkin is moving forward.

“The memories and my love for them is greater than any sorrow,” said Milkin.