Veteran who lost leg in Afghanistan is surprised with mortgage-free home: 'A great honor'

Building Homes for Heroes announced its 343rd home recipient — a veteran with a special connection to the FDNY 343 ride. 

Evan Marcy is a 39-year-old veteran who served in Afghanistan for five years as a combat photographer. In 2009, during a firefight on the top of a mountain, Marcy was hit — and his left leg was later amputated above the knee. 

A Purple Heart recipient, he currently lives in New Orleans, Louisiana. His father, Duane Marcy, was a FDNY firefighter and a first responder in search-and-rescue efforts at Ground Zero, according to a press release. 

Founder and CEO of Building Homes for Heroes Andy Pujol told Fox News Digital that the organization wanted to pick a recipient with a connection to the FDNY, as the program expanded in 2022 to help first responders in addition to veterans.