The family of a York County army corporal injured in Afghanistan is getting help from their community. Their home is being renovated so the soldier can return home to a wheelchair accessible house.
Matthew Hanes was paralyzed in Afghanistan. He's going through rehabilitation in a Florida hospital. But he's up to speed on what the community is doing. His father says he can't wait for Matthew to come home to his newly renovated house.
With each plow, hammer and spray, Lee Hanes is thinking about his son.
“He's so loving, do anything for anybody,” Lee told us. 21-year-old Matthew Hanes is a 2010 Northeastern High School graduate.
“Matthew decided he wants to go into the army and that's what he did,” Lee explained to us. “Two weeks after he graduated he took off for boot camp.”
In June, on his last deployment, Matthew was injured in Afghanistan. His vertebrae shattered, leaving him paralyzed.
A life-changing injury that his father quickly realized would require changes to their York County home.
“It's really hard to describe, but I've already accepted what’s going on, my son is alive and we are going to do whatever we have to do,” Lee Hanes told us.
It was a mission they wouldn't battle alone.
“It's amazing I've never seen all the love and response from the community, suppliers, excavators block, its amazing. Northeastern School District, amazing, I was totally overwhelmed,” Hanes told us.
Matthew will have a wheelchair lift, an entry-level living area and extra motivation to keep working toward recovery at a hospital in Florida.
“He's working hard, he wants to come home to York so that's what we are going to do for him,” Lee told us.
His father can't say enough about the volunteers, but the real hero, he says is Matthew.
“Proud? I can't explain how proud I am,” Lee gushed.
A hero who deserves a homecoming made easier, one load at a time.
“I look at it this way, my son stepped up for us, and we can step up for him,” Lee concluded.
Lee Hanes says they are especially thankful to third graders at York Haven Elementary School.
Matthew Hanes was paralyzed in Afghanistan. He's going through rehabilitation in a Florida hospital. But he's up to speed on what the community is doing. His father says he can't wait for Matthew to come home to his newly renovated house.
With each plow, hammer and spray, Lee Hanes is thinking about his son.
“He's so loving, do anything for anybody,” Lee told us. 21-year-old Matthew Hanes is a 2010 Northeastern High School graduate.
“Matthew decided he wants to go into the army and that's what he did,” Lee explained to us. “Two weeks after he graduated he took off for boot camp.”
In June, on his last deployment, Matthew was injured in Afghanistan. His vertebrae shattered, leaving him paralyzed.
A life-changing injury that his father quickly realized would require changes to their York County home.
“It's really hard to describe, but I've already accepted what’s going on, my son is alive and we are going to do whatever we have to do,” Lee Hanes told us.
It was a mission they wouldn't battle alone.
“It's amazing I've never seen all the love and response from the community, suppliers, excavators block, its amazing. Northeastern School District, amazing, I was totally overwhelmed,” Hanes told us.
Matthew will have a wheelchair lift, an entry-level living area and extra motivation to keep working toward recovery at a hospital in Florida.
“He's working hard, he wants to come home to York so that's what we are going to do for him,” Lee told us.
His father can't say enough about the volunteers, but the real hero, he says is Matthew.
“Proud? I can't explain how proud I am,” Lee gushed.
A hero who deserves a homecoming made easier, one load at a time.
“I look at it this way, my son stepped up for us, and we can step up for him,” Lee concluded.
Lee Hanes says they are especially thankful to third graders at York Haven Elementary School.