It's been months in the making. A grateful community and volunteers welcomed a wounded warrior into her new home in Manchester Saturday afternoon.
Staff Sergeant Sandra Lee received the keys to her Manchester house as dozens came out for the ceremony to show their gratitude.
Sandra was deployed in December 2003 to Iraq. During her time there, she was involved in 4 IED explosions and was sexually assaulted by a fellow solider.
Coming home she felt lost and struggled with post traumatic stress. The Purple Heart Homes Organization helped her get back on her feet.
"For a very long time, many years I lost faith in humanity you know coming back from Iraq and now it's renewed my faith in people again," Lee said.
Purple Heart Homes is an organization that works to help wounded veterans. Through fundraisers, the community donated tens of thousands of dollars toward the project and businesses donated supplies and their time.
"This is what it's all about, to see this generous town and its people give," said Vicki Thomas from Purple Heart Homes.
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For Sandra, seeing it all culminate to this moment is overwhelming.
"This home is just the first stepping stone for the rest of my life and to start out like this, it's incredible."
Sandra said she's working on her masters in Integrative Health and Healing. She wants to help other veterans with their recovery.
