A hero's welcome home

FOSTORIA, Ohio - An Army sergeant who lost his legs in combat in Iraq is finally home in Fostoria after three years of rehabilitation.

Sgt. Shane Parsons returned home Thursday afternoon to a house that had been completely remodeled.

In September 2006 he was severely injured in Iraq when his Humvee rolled over a roadside bomb. Sgt. Parsons suffered severe head trauma and both legs had to be amputated. As a result, the 24-year-old spent most of the past three years in military hospitals recovering.

Thursday afternoon he returned to Fostoria and was greeted with what can only be called a hero’s welcome. Friends and family greeted him and helped show off $150,000 worth of renovations which had transformed his home.

Sgt. Parsons’ bedroom now includes a major expansion. The non-profit group, Hope of the Warriors, helped create a state-of-the-art, wheelchair-accessible bathroom, a home gym with exercise equipment, and an indoor therapy pool.

"It’s insane," he said. "Where I'm sitting (today) didn't exist (three years ago). It is perfect. It is phenomenal."

“To come home after three years and see this beautiful home, words are not enough to express," added Cindy Parsons, his mother.

Hope for the Warrior s stepped in after the Parsons home was condemned. The house suffered a water leak while Shane's mom was out of town monitoring her son's therapy. That resulted in black mold which required the home to be demolished.

The mission for Hope for the Warriors is to enhance quality of life for US Service Members and their families nationwide who have been adversely affected by injuries or death in the line of duty.

"This was a particularly beautiful story in that the strength of the family was amazing and the situation they were in was extreme," said Robin Kelleher, President and CEO of Hope for the Warriors.

It took two years to renovate Sgt. Parsons' home. Shane, who has become an accomplished athlete since his injury, has big plans for his new digs.

"I will exercise my arms to help my ability to hold myself up with prosthetics, and help with my hand cycling and hockey," he said. "I'm on a traveling hockey team, the San Antonio Rampage, and it’s a lot of upper body."

I'm very, very happy and I have so much respect for everybody that has helped out. I don't know how to thank them."