Photo: Rachel Branning/WSET
On the day before Veteran's Day, the National Center for Healthy Veterans at Valor Farm in Altavista suffered a devastating fire to their main building known as the barn.
The Center's president, Robert Dees, said the barn, which housed 18 horse stalls, a riding arena, a prototype grow room, and the center's main offices, is a total loss.
No one was injured, but two therapy donkeys died in the blaze.
Veterans and staff at the center are grieving the loss together.
"Our staff needs every bit as much counseling as our patriots do, and they're helping one another," Dees said.
Everyone at the farm is devastated by the loss, but Dees says they plan to come back stronger than before.
Meanwhile, despite the destruction from the fire, the Soldier's Cross statue in front of the building was left untouched by the flames.
The fire began on Sunday, November 10 about 8:30 a.m. when the Campbell County Sheriff's Office and Fire departments responded to 980 Wards Road for an active structure fire.
When authorities got to the scene, the main barn was fully engulfed and was unable to be saved.
The sheriff's office is assisting the county's fire marshal's office with the fire investigation.
To learn more about the National Center for Healthy Veterans Valor Farm, please click here to visit their website.
For more on this story, please visit our media partner, ABC 13 - WSET.