Homes for Our Troops Veteran Chooses Honea Path
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
Army Sergeant First Class Daniel Metzdorf could have chosen any town in America to call home. Metzdorf chose Honea Path.
On January 27, 2004, on his second combat tour, he was conducting a night patrol with the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division in Iraq when a roadside bomb detonated, killing three Soldiers, and injuring three others, including Metzdorf. He sustained severe injuries resulting in the loss of his right leg above the knee.
After less than a year of rehab, he reenlisted in the Army and eventually joined the Army Golden Knights Parachute Team, becoming the first above-the-knee amputee to pass the training course.
He and his wife, Kristen, live full-time in their recreational vehicle, a lifestyle they enjoy, yet one that comes with many obstacles. With a small shower and steps into the vehicle, he must always wear his prosthetic, making it difficult for him to rest and recover. He often worries about falling when transitioning through narrow spaces and doorways.
In steps Homes for Our Troops, a publicly funded 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives.
These homes restore some of the freedom and independence our Veterans sacrificed while defending our country, and enable them to focus on their family, recovery, and rebuilding their lives. HFOT builds these homes where the Veteran chooses to live, and continues its relationship with the Veterans after home delivery to assist them with rebuilding their lives.
Metzdorf and his wife chose Honea Path because of the beauty of the area and “the people.”
A specially adapted custom home from Homes For Our Troops will give him the ability to navigate the entire home using crutches or a wheelchair. He’s looking forward to the financial freedom of the mortgage-free home, which will allow the couple to pursue their dream of starting a farm and becoming part of the local homesteading community.
His tentative move-in date at his new Honea Path home is May.
