Wounded Army Veteran Gets Upper Southampton Home

UPPER SOUTHAMPTON, PA — On June 8, 2008, Army Cpl. Kevin McCloskey lost both legs and suffered vision loss, burns and a brain injury when his vehicle struck an explosive in Afghanistan.

On Saturday, with the help of a nonprofit that serves wounded veterans, he moved into a new home in Upper Southampton built specifically with his injuries in mind.

McCloskey and his wife, Bridget, got the keys to the home on Bristol Drive at a ceremony Saturday with Homes For Our Troops. The nonprofit builds and donates specially adapted houses nationwide to severely injured veterans.

According to the group, the home was built with wider doorways and an open floor plan to make everyday tasks, like getting dressed, easier. Kitchen and other appliances are built to be accessible from a wheelchair, among other modifications.

While McCloskey has made significant improvements since his injury, he said the new home will make a huge difference in his life and the lives of his family members.

"This home makes everyday living that much easier to cope with," McCloskey said. "I can’t tell you how many times I would get stressed out while just trying to iron a pair of pants. These houses really take away the stress of everyday activities. It’s huge, not only for the veterans but also for their loved ones knowing they have a safe place to live."

McCloskey doesn't remember much about the incident in which he was injured. According to Homes For Our Troops, he was with the 101st Airborne Division in Afghanistan's Logar Province when his vehicle struck in improvised explosive device. He's been told he saw a pressure board and swerved to avoid it, taking the majority of the blast to himself.

He underwent 30 surgeries during a stay at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston in Texas and credits the therapists there and his fellow veterans with helping in his recovery.

Always a competitive athlete, McCloskey has discovered a love for golf. Without the burden of paying a mortgage, he says he'll be able to devote more time to helping fellow veterans and other amputees through the Eastern Amputee Golf Association's First Swing clinics.

He has also taken a position with the PGA's Helping Our Patriots Everywhere program. The organization introduces golf to veterans with disabilities to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being.

"It's so hard to explain," McCloskey said, in a video, about how much the new, accessible home will impact his life. "I keep trying to put how much everything means to me in words, but it's really still unrealistic that things can happen like this."

Photos courtesy Homes For Our Troops