Groundbreaking ceremony for injured veteran's new home

A groundbreaking ceremony took place Friday morning at the site of a new home for an injured veteran and his family.

United States Army Master Sergeant Cedric King joined the military in 1995 at Fort Jackson, South Carolina and graduated from the U.S. Army Ranger School with a focus in infantry.

King was on his third deployment, in 2012, when he was critically injured. His platoon was in an Afghan village when they fell under machine gun fire. Once the shootout ended, King moved forward and stepped on a pressure plate improved explosive device (IED). 

King woke up eight days later in the United States with his wife, children, and mother at his side. The blast caused his right hand to be disfigured and forced both of his legs to be amputated. 

Friday morning, in the 2800 block of Eudora Trail in Duluth, U.S. Army MSG Cedric King and his family began a new chapter in their lives. Crews broke ground on what will be King's specially adapted, custom smart home. 

The Gary Sinise Foundation is the organization behind the good deed. The foundation will have 44 specially adapted smart homes completed or underway by the end of this year. 

"Since his injury, he has persevered, earning numerous medals and awards, running marathons, and even climbing mountains," the Gary Sinise Foundation said.