Wounded Marine gifted new accessible smart home

BANGOR, Maine (WABI/Gray News) - A Marine Corps veteran was gifted a brand-new smart home that will allow him to live a more independent life, WABI reports.

“We gather here today in Bangor, Maine, to honor and celebrate the sacrifices made by one of our nation’s heroes,” said Jack Oehm, a retired FDNY battalion commander and Tunnel to Towers Foundation board member.

Lance Cpl. Noah White was gifted a whole new type of independence.

The former Marine was injured during a training mission, leaving him with no movement from the neck down.

The home he lived in made everyday tasks more difficult, but on Wednesday he entered his new home for the very first time.

“It doesn’t feel real. It honestly has not hit yet that this is real,” said his mother, Shannon White.

The smart home is mortgage-free and built to accommodate the various challenges that he faces.

It will allow him to do things like open the door and turn off the lights using an app he controls.

It was built by Tunnel to Towers, an organization founded in memory of a firefighter who ran headfirst into danger on Sept. 11, 2001.

“I just want to give my love to Tunnel to Towers, because they’re great people and without this none of this would be happening. It’s an amazing situation and I’m very thankful for this house. It’s very much better than the one I’m in right now. The house right now I can’t really move around in, can’t take showers without getting a pop-up shower. It’s going to be amazing, honestly,” Noah White said.

The icing on the cake was that his first day in his new home was on his birthday.

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