SGT Brandon Korona

Derry, NH

Mission Accomplished on Sept. 25, 2021

Brandon Korona decided to enlist in the Army to serve a greater purpose.

In 2013, Sergeant Korona went on his first deployment to Afghanistan as a combat engineer with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. On June 23, 2013, he was on a route clearance mission with his unit when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Paktika Province, Afghanistan. The explosion knocked Brandon unconscious, breaking his right ankle and every bone below his left knee.

Brandon spent two years recovering at Walter Reed Medical Center before returning home to Massachusetts. After four years of pain and a low quality of life trying to keep his left leg, Brandon made the difficult decision to have doctors amputate his lower left leg. He opted for an experimental surgical procedure called an Ewing Amputation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He is the second person to undergo this amputation surgery, which gives him the ability to control a robotic prosthetic with his brain, enabling him to perform complex actions and feel sensations.

Now medically retired, Brandon enjoys spending time with his wife, Chelsea, and their two children, Theo and Cash. He works as a senior subcontract administrator at BAE Systems. He has a master’s degree in operations and project management from Southern New Hampshire University.

Though Brandon has made significant progress in his recovery, he still experienced obstacles within his previous home. He described the split-level home as being “full of stairs,” which made it impossible for him to use his wheelchair. It was especially frustrating for Brandon on days where he could not wear his prosthetic due to skin irritations and limb soreness, and he was forced to use crutches to navigate throughout his home.

Brandon’s specially adapted custom HFOT home gives him the opportunity to live his life comfortably. He can now access all parts of the home without fear of falling, especially with special features like a roll-in shower.  Brandon says his HFOT home provides him with everything he needs, including the stable environment and peace of mind they need to raise their sons.

Originally from Raynham, Mass., Brandon chose to build his HFOT home in New Hampshire, where he first started a life with Chelsea.

Brandon feels there is no way to thank the HFOT donors and supporters for what they have done for his fellow brothers and sisters in arms. “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.”

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. Read more.
  • WMUR 9, May 17, 2021 Homes For Our Troops this weekend kicked off the building of a specially adapted home for an injured Soldier. Read more.
  • 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. Read more.
  • 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. Read more.
  • Union Leader, May 13, 2021 A Massachusetts veteran is beginning a new chapter in New Hampshire following the generosity of Homes For Our Troops. Read more.
  • 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. Read more.
  • 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. Read more.
  • 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. Read more.
  • 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. Read more.
  • 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. Read more.