Sgt Brandon Korona

Derry, NH

Mission Accomplished on September 25, 2021

Brandon Korona enlisted in the U.S. Army to serve a greater purpose.

In 2013, Sergeant Korona deployed to Afghanistan as a combat engineer with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. On June 23, 2013, while conducting a route clearance mission in Paktika Province, his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED). The blast rendered him unconscious and caused severe injuries, including a broken right ankle and extensive damage to his left leg.

He spent two years recovering at Walter Reed Medical Center before returning home to Massachusetts. After years of chronic pain and diminished quality of life while attempting to save his left leg, he made the difficult decision to undergo a below-the-knee amputation. He elected to receive an experimental procedure known as the Ewing Amputation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. As the second individual to undergo this surgery, Brandon gained the ability to control an advanced robotic prosthetic using neural signals, allowing him to perform complex movements and experience sensory feedback.

Now medically retired, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Chelsea, and their two children, and the family is expecting their third child. He is employed as a senior subcontract administrator at BAE Systems and holds a master’s degree in operations and project management from Southern New Hampshire University.

Although Brandon has made significant strides in his recovery, his previous home presented ongoing challenges. He described the split-level layout as being “full of stairs,” making it difficult to maneuver in a wheelchair. On days when he could not wear his prosthetic due to skin irritation or limb soreness, he was forced to rely on crutches to move throughout the home, creating additional physical strain and safety concerns.

His specially adapted custom HFOT home now provides him with a safer, more accessible living environment. With features such as a roll-in shower and improved accessibility throughout the home, he can navigate each space comfortably and with reduced risk of falling.

Originally from Massachusetts, he chose to build his HFOT home in New Hampshire, where he and his wife began their life together.

Brandon expresses deep gratitude to HFOT donors and supporters for their continued commitment to Veterans and their families. “I am so grateful for the support I have had past and present. I am living my life for more than just myself; I live my life with meaning.”

Ver: 02/26

related articles:

  • Sentinel Source, Oct. 15, 2021 – An Army Veteran and his family have received a new home thanks to an organization known for its service and support.
  • WMUR 9, May 17, 2021 – Homes For Our Troops this weekend kicked off the building of a specially adapted home for an injured Soldier.
  • Yahoo! News, May 17, 2021 – An Army Veteran and his family will be getting a new home thanks to an organization known for its service and support.
  • The Eagle-Tribune, May 17, 2021 – An Army Veteran and his family will be getting a new home thanks to an organization known for its service and support.
  • Union Leader, May 13, 2021 – A Massachusetts veteran is beginning a new chapter in New Hampshire following the generosity of Homes For Our Troops.
  • Eagle-Tribune, Nov. 9, 2020 – When Brandon Korona was growing up, his dream house looked something like this. A huge colonial with stairways, several bedrooms, as many bathrooms, and a huge man cave for hanging out while watching sports or playing video games.
  • News Radio WOOD, July 13, 2019 – A handicap accessible home was donated to an Iraq war Veteran and his family Saturday in Middleville after years of struggling through a home that was not built to accommodate his needs.
  • Lowell Sun, July 5, 2019 – When Brandon Korona regained consciousness after his truck struck a 200-pound improvised explosive device in Afghanistan, he saw the lower part of his left leg had twisted backward. The 28-year-old Dracut resident enlisted in the Army in 2010 and was serving as combat engineer with the 10th Mountain Division Special Troops Battalion when the accident happened in June 2013.
  • Patriots, July 3, 2019 – It looks like Patriots center David Andrews may have recently converted a Buffalo Bills fan during a surprise appearance at Gillette Stadium. U.S. Army Sergeant Brandon Korona, his wife Chelsea, and their dog, Ace, were visiting Gillette Stadium last Friday for an interview with WCVB News Center 5’s Dough Meehan to share Brandon’s story in advance of this year’s Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the 50 road races at Patriot Place and Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, July 3.
  • WCVB Channel 5, July 1, 2019 – The New England Patriots are pitching in to help build a home for a local Veteran and his family. Brandon Korona lost his left leg below the knee from an IED in Afghanistan. The group Homes For Our Troops is building Korona and his wife Chelsea a specially adapted home.