POSEY CO., IN (WFIE) -
Thursday night, we told you about volunteers building a new home for a local veteran who lost both legs while serving in Iraq.
That home is off west Franklin Road in Posey County. Kenneth Harker and his wife Heather have known about this home for a while.
Now, it's becoming a reality.
Soon, they and their six- month-old daughter will call Posey County home.
Kenneth and Heather's new house is already taking shape, and when move in day rolls around, it'll mean the end of tight fits and tough reaches.
Not to mention a pretty-involved bathroom routine.
Kenneth Harker joined the Army when he turned 21. He was serving a second tour, this one in Iraq, when a bomb exploded near his convoy.
"After that, I felt like my legs were floating above my head. No pain, just a weird feeling," Kenneth recalled.
He lost both legs and spent three years recovering at Walter Reed.
Then, shortly before his return home, came the news he and Heather had been hoping for.
"It was quite a shock," Heather said.
A new, wheelchair accessible, home would be theirs thanks to the national non-profit Homes For Our Troops.
"How do you explain to someone, they're giving me a home. And not just a home but a home that's suited to my personal needs," said Kenneth.
That means wider doorways, lower counters and a much improved bathroom set-up.
For Heather, it's about more than helping her husband get around.
It's also giving her peace of mind.
"So, I think I'll be able to relax a little bit more, and worry a little less. Knowing that everything in the house is accessible to him," she told 14 News.
A week from Friday comes the first big push to get the house up.
A three-day Build Brigade that needs lot of volunteers. Many have already stepped in.
"It really surprised me to see how many people are wiling to help. And that people are actually willing to help," Kenneth said. "Thanks doesn't tell you how I feel. I'm grateful and I'm glad there are people that care that much."
The Build Brigade is next Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The home should be completed in three to four months
Volunteers are still needed to help with building the home, they need professionals and volunteers for all kinds of different jobs.
To sign up, click here.
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