CALDWELL, Idaho — The Canyon County community welcomed home a local injured veteran Saturday.
The nonprofit, Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) built 31 homes across the country this year for veterans. One of them being here in Idaho for the Pfeifer Family.
This is the third HFOT in Idaho. It took 29 months to build and is about 2,800 feet. HFOT is building a fourth home that will be donated to a veteran in Idaho Falls in 2025.
Each home built by HFOT is custom made with over 40 adaptations that make it easier for an injured veteran to get around, according to Cindy Baptiste, the executive director for HFOT.
On Sunday HFOT gave the keys over to the new house over to Chad Pfeifer, his wife and three kids.
"When we talk about heroes there's a quote that sticks out to me and Chad is absolutely a hero to me and so many others," Will Swygart, a friend of Pfeifer's said. "Heroes are not giant statues framed against the red sky, they are people who say this is my community and it's my responsibility to make it better."
Pfeifer is a medically retired Army specialist who lost his left leg while fighting in Iraq.
"We couldn't have asked for anything better," Pfeifer said about his new home. "It's the little stuff that people kind of take for granted. I want to take my (prosthetic) leg off because it's sore, painful... to be able to use a wheelchair around the house, to be able to access, all the stuff in the kitchen, be able to still cook for the family and do that from a wheelchair is amazing. "
Baptiste said homes like this are a stress reliever for the veteran, and their family members.
"They can roll very easily in and out... wider hallways, wider doorways, roll under counters, roll under sinks, tilt mirrors," Baptiste said.
The home is also in the location Pfeifer wanted to be in. He is a Caldwell native, and graduate of Vallivue High School.
Staying in Canyon County was important to him and his family.
"To be able to call this home again is incredible," Pfeifer said about staying in the area. "It's a house now, and it's an amazing house... but... when we get moved in, it'll become our home, and we're incredibly thankful for it."