An army sergeant, injured during combat, has struggled to live an ordinary life in his own home, but thanks to the Home For Our Troops program he will receive a new accommodating home.

During Sergeant David Guzman’s first combat deployment, he was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Taji, Iraq.

“I noticed a small white truck on the side of the road. The driver and I just looked at each other. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I could feel the heat, the sweat and knew something wasn’t right,” Guzman said. “As soon as I opened the door handle, the bomb went off. Close to half my calf muscle was missing.”

He was taken to the hospital and treated for shrapnel injuries, hearing loss in his right ear, loss of use of his right foot, and other injuries.

He continued to serve until he contracted gangrene in his right lower leg and was later medically discharged.

During his recovery and therapy at the local VA, he struggled to adjust to his normal routine in his own home.

“We had been in that home for 15 years. I had a hard time getting in the shower, getting through the hallways. I literally fell out of the shower, landed on my tailbone and broke my tailbone,” Guzman said.

Since his recovery, he obtained degrees in culinary and agricultural science and became a professional chef, preparing dishes and meals for fellow Purple Heart recipients and their families, according to a press release.

Homes For Our Troops recognized his passion for cooking and the challenges of cooking in his current home, so the organization is beginning to build a specially adapted custom home in Wimberley that will help.

The financial freedom of a donated home will also help him and his sons achieve his goal of helping them open their own catering or smokehouse business.