It was there where Kent fought for his life and learned how to drive a car again, reports The News-Press.
Dan Ashby, Kent's stepfather, said, "Walter Reed is where he survived and was able to start his rehabilitation.”
But the Army's flagship hospital, which began treating patients in 1909, is to close its doors in September.
Mr Kent will be among the hundreds of patients who are transferred to one of two other facilities in the area next month.
Kent, who was celebrating his 23rd birthday Thursday with friends, wasn't immediately available for comment, The News-Press.
The soldier is in the Cape for an extended visit before he returns to Washington next month to continue his rehabilitation and treatment.
"We're looking forward to the move for the change of scenery. But it's still like an old family friend you're saying goodbye to,” Ashby said.
Kent lost both legs and three fingers on his left hand about a year ago to an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.
Charles Scoville, chief of amputee service at the hospital, said the new facility for patients such as Kent will have several upgrades.
The upgrades include a walking simulator with a split-belt treadmill, 180-degree video screen and motion-capturing cameras, reports The News-Press.
Scoville said, "Technology has changed over the past several years. We took lessons learned here at Walter Reed to really enhance the facility."
The new home for amputees will be the National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, Md.
It will be renamed Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and be managed by all branches of the military.
Willie Ramsey is a Cape Coral veteran who served in the Persian Gulf War and spent time at Walter Reed for injuries he sustained in 1987 and 1991.
He told The News-Press he was sad when he heard the facility is closing, saying it broke his heart.
"When I saw that on the news the other night, that Walter Reed is gonna close its doors, it's something that stopped me in my tracks," Ramsey said.
He said veterans see it as a place where they know they'll be taken care of: "If I walked into Walter Reed as a veteran and said I've got a problem, somebody would give a damn.”