Soldier receives keys to new home from "Homes For Our Troops"

More than five years after purchasing the land, one soldier and his family now have a place to call home thanks to hundreds of volunteers from Homes For Our Troops. Our Katie Gibas spoke with family and tells us what this day means to them.

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WILNA, N.Y. — Roy Mitchell's life changed forever November 23, 2003. He was deployed to Afghanistan and a mine blew up the vehicle he was riding in. Mitchell was hospitalized for 11 months and had to have his leg amputated.

"All of a sudden, things you don't even think are an obstacle are," said SFC Roy Mitchell, new homeowner.

But Saturday was a day of rejoicing as Mitchell received the keys to his new home, a specially adapted place built by volunteers with Homes For Our Troops.

"It takes my standard of living and brought it from down to all the way to the top. I'm going to be able to spend time with my family and go in and interact with them rather than them to have to come out to me," said Mitchell.

It took hundreds of volunteers five months to make this house a reality and they say the outcome is well worth it.

"People want to help. They want to do something. They want to help these men and women that volunteered and come back injured. We really just feel like it's our part of the war effort. It's our way of participating and helping these men and women. They do the fighting," said Tom Benoit, Homes For Our Troops Vice President.

"To say thank you to everybody and all they've done to make this project what it is behind me, to use those two words just doesn't really justify what they've done. It was a heartwarming experience to see everyone that's been involved in this process," said Mitchell.

The Mitchell family hopes to be fully moved into the home by the end of April.