Purple Heart Homes to give vet new home

MANCHESTER, Conn. (WTNH) -- An injured vet in Manchester will soon have the keys to her brand new place and it's all thanks to the Purple Heart Homes.

A house in Manchester is dark and empty. The power was cut long ago and the heat has been turned off but soon it will be turned over to an organization called the Purple Heart homes.

The house will be completely rehabbed and then given at cost to former Staff Sargent Sandra Lee.

She was injured as a result of 4 different IED bomb blasts while serving in Iraq.

"I have a brain injury from several IED's. One compounding on the next one and I have post traumatic stress from combat," said Lee.

Lee is currently going for her masters degree in Holistic Health so she can help other wounded vets, like the help she's gotten from the town of Manchester and Purple Heart homes.

"It just...all of them coming together for me, it's very humbling and it has restored my faith in people," said Lee.

The house used to belong to Frank and Catherine Ringrose and they passed away more than 5-years-ago and it has been in flux ever since so the family got together and said we would like to give it to the town in exchange for forgiveness on the back taxes so they can pass it on to the Purple Heart Homes and give a veteran a new home.

"We rehab homes for Vietnam, Korean and Afghanistan and Iraqi vets," said John Gallina of Purple Heart Homes.

In all, Purple Heart homes has rehabbed more than 20 houses nationwide and they are expected to break ground on a 1200 foot addition to the Manchester house in March.

"I think the house is going to be gutted and totally redone so it will be modern and I am just...excited," said Lee laughing.