WALTON COUNTY, Fla. — A wounded veteran in Santa Rosa Beach got the keys to a mortgage free home Wednesday, thanks to the Gary Sinise Foundation.

Retired Air Force Staff Sergeant Brian Schiefer became a paraplegic when he was thrown from a truck during a pre-deployment exercise, severing his spine.

The new, custom-built smart home is designed with his challenges in mind.

“Just the simple little things, doing laundry, can I reach the washer and dryer to even wash my own clothes,” Schiefer said. “Or you know, cook my own food, so having counters that I can slide under, whether it be the cookstove or the sink.. This house for me really represents a place of independence and freedom, where I can really enjoy my own space, not really have to worry about barriers.”