Central Point, Ore.- A veteran who lost his legs in Afghanistan has gained a new home thanks to Jared Allen Homes for Wounded Warriors and its partners.
Corporal Jed Morgan was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012, just three months after he married his wife, Anna.
“I wanted do something more with my life, do something bigger and better so I ended up joining the Marine Corps,” Morgan said Friday.
Three months after arriving, on June 12, 2012, he was injured in an IED explosion. Morgan was flown to a hospital in Germany and his family was told to say their final good-byes.
“They didn’t think I was gonna make it.”
But Morgan did make it. He made a miraculous recovery despite the loss of both legs above the knee and severe damage to his right hand.
When he returned home, Morgan faced a new challenge- learning to live in a second floor apartment that wasn’t made for someone in a wheelchair or with disabilities. Morgan couldn’t maneuver his wheelchair in the apartment’s rooms and counter tops were too high.
When Jared Allen heard about Jed’s story he knew he wanted to help. He decided to build Jed and his family a home, through his organization, Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors.
More than a year ago, Allen met with the family, laid out a plan for a home and broke ground.
“The best thing about him is his spirit, his patriotism,” Allen said about the veteran. “There’s no selfish bone in his body.”
Allen comes from a military family and understands the sacrifices Morgan made. He and his building partners, including S & B James, wanted to pay him back for what he’d given for his country.
“Home should be your most secure spot at your most vulnerable time and that’s what we want to give these guys.”
Friday, after nine months of building, a flag ceremony and a ribbon cutting, the Morgans received the keys to their new home.
“Days like this are so special because we finally get to hand the house over to them and let them begin their new life,” said Allen.
Allen’s organization gave the Morgan’s the home debt free, which means it doesn’t carry a mortgage. The Morgan’s plan to move in this weekend.
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