HOUSTON – A Houston Marine who spent years of his life serving his country was handed the keys to a new home on Monday.
Retired Marine Sgt. Marty Gonzalez and his family took a tour of their furnished home on Monday. His wife, Tawnee, said they're extremely thankful.
"We will cherish it forever. We'll be able to have our first Thanksgiving in a week. And Christmas," said Tawnee. "It's going to be memories that are going to last our entire life."
Gonzalez, a Woodlands High School graduate, received three Purple Hearts and two Bronze Stars for Valor while fighting insurgents in Fallujah.
"Operation Fan of Fury, in Fallujah. House to house combat. Opening up doors with insurgents on the other side. Honestly, every time you enter that room, you don't know if you're coming back out alive," said retired Capt. Dan Morgan with the U.S. Marines. "That is what this Marine has done for us."
The Gonzalez family was awarded the home thanks to the Helping a Hero organization and several others.
Astros legend Craig Biggio joined other supporters of the organization for the first glimpse of the new four bedroom, three bathroom home.
The Gonzalez family will also receive a year of free house cleaning.
Gonzalez said he'll now spend his time helping other wounded warriors with their road to recovery.