Volunteers build new home for injured veteran

BURLINGTON, NC - A veteran who lost both legs in Afghanistan gets a new, handicap-accessible home and has hundreds of volunteers to thank for it.

FOX's Amber Roberts reports from Burlington, NC.

Marine Corporal Garret J. Carnes lost both legs back in 2012, after stepping on an IED while serving in Afghanistan.

"It's a huge blessing for me to be able to be here. I see the injury as a blessing in disguise,"Carnes said.
Carnes has a wife, two kids, and now this home.

"It's neat to see the community come out and get involved and help us lay the foundation for the house and get everything finalized before we move in here,"Carnes said.

Thanks to the non-profit group "Homes for Our Troops," the Carnes family ges this house mortgage-free.

"It's a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders," Carnes said.

The organization had 100 volunteers in the Burlington community come out to help.

"Laying sods....planting flowers...washing the side of the house...really doing everything they can to make this house look like a home,"Katelyn Donovan said."A sense of appreciation to Corporal Carnes for his service and this is everybody giving back."

Carnes and his family move in next month and what's great about this home is that it's handicap accessible.

The family is moving from a home where he has challenges getting around.

"The hallways will be wide...the floors will be hardwood...it'll be easy to roll across with the wheel chair with no effort...everything will be in reach from the wheelchair, "Carnes said.