While deployed by the U.S. Army to Iraq 15 years ago, Staff Sergeant Michael Brown left a local police station and boarded a Humvee.

Minutes later, a man appeared from a doorway and hurled an anti tank grenade at the vehicle. The result was not only a severely damaged Humvee, but Moore’s foot was removed right at the ankle.

Brown, then 22, and his wife Kimberly had been married about a year and had a 10-month old daughter, Alyssa.

“The jewel of that experience was walking next to my daughter as she was taking her first steps,’’ Brown said, “and I was taking my second first steps.’’

Following a surgery Brown underwent last year, he had trouble maneuvering his new wheelchair through doorways and over doorway jambs causing a daily struggle.

He soon won’t have to worry about those obstacles any longer.

Helping a Hero and Breland Homes, along with ambassador and musician Lee Greenwood and local dignitaries, gathered to break ground Tuesday at The Crossing at River Landing for a home fitted to Brown’s needs as part of the 100 Homes Challenge.

The house comes at no cost to the Browns and is the second gifted to a Tennessee Valley veteran in recent months, the first going to Army Sergeant First Class Scott Barkalow of Athens. He lost a leg in Afghanistan in 2003 when the pickup truck he was riding in rolled over an anti tank mine.

“We’re so excited to be here doing the second home right here in Alabama,’’ said Meredith Iler, founder of Helping a Hero. “It all started October 12 back in the fall when the Brelands decided to announce two recipients of these homes instead of just one and we are thrilled.’’

Brown and his family were introduced as recipients of the second gifted home, which should be ready by the end of the year, during Lee Greenwood’s “All-Star Salute’’ concert at the Von Braun Center in October.

“I want to look them straight in the eye and say, “Thank you. Your sacrifice was not in vain and we’re going to help you get on your feet again.’ And that’s not a joke,’’ Greenwood said. “We just want to make sure they can exist in as much a normal life as possible.’’

Getting around as normal as possible in his home is what Brown is looking forward to.

“What’s one of the biggest goals as a husband and father: to provide a stable environment for his family to grow,’’ he said. “Having a home that is not only paid for but built for your needs specifically, that’s a gift you can’t turn down.

“It affords me such an opportunity to not worry about some of the menial tasks. It provides me more overhead and room to grow and be more.’’

Photo Credits: Steve Babin