The family of U.S. Army Sgt. Mario Nelson was presented with the house on Wednesday by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
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U.S. Army Sgt. Mario Nelson was not born in this country, but bravely sacrificed his life defending it. He was born in Haiti and arrived in the United States as a child where he grew up in Brooklyn.
He enlisted in the National Guard after high school when the 9/11 attacks changed his life.
He volunteered to be a part of the recovery effort at Ground Zero before deciding to switch to active duty with the Army.
He was killed in Iraq when his vehicle was hit by a grenade in October of 2006.
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He was 26-years-old at the time of his death and left behind his wife Mecca and their 3-year-old daughter Mia.
Since his death, Mecca and Mia have moved from apartment to apartment and have not had a place to call their own.
His daughter spoke about her mother's sacrifice.
"She played a mother and a father all for me, she would provide me with all these things that I do, she supports me with anything I do and I appreciate her for that, and I just love her, I love my father, I love everybody who came out today, thank you," Mia said.
To date, The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation has spent over $125 million to honor and support our first responders and veterans and their families.
Foundation CEO Frank Siller lost his brother Stephen, a firefighter, in the 9/11 attacks.
"We have to take care of these families," Frank Siller said. "There is still a tremendous sacrifice being made, and this is the way Americans can do it by giving these mortgage-free homes, through the Tunnel to Towers Foundation."
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