Marine and family set to move into free Garner home

GARNER, N.C. (WTVD) -- A flag-raising ceremony was held Thursday for Marine Staff Sgt. Matthew Polizzi, the recipient of Hero Home 23.

Staff Sgt. Polizzi, his wife, and their three children will move into the new, free home in Garner from Tennessee.

"We're excited to come out here and see the house and everything and just glad to be here," Polizzi said.

The Purple Heart recipient was injured while serving in Afghanistan.

The nonprofit Operation Coming Home and Mattamy Homes partnered for Hero Home 23.

Operation Coming Home is a joint volunteer project by the Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County (HBA), and various nonprofits. They build and donate homes for wounded, combat veterans who have served in the Middle East. There is a selection process.

The number of people attending the ceremony was scaled down because of COVID-19 protocols.

Polizzi said his family is excited about their new home. They are expected to get the keys at a ceremony in July.

"We've moved around so much, so it will be really nice to be able to have the kids in one school and not have them moving around to different schools all the time, and somewhere where they can have their own bedrooms," Polizzi said.