HILLSIDE, Ill. (WBBM) – This is a big day for a wounded Iraq War veteran and his family – groundbreaking for their new house.

As WBBM Newsradio 780’s Bernie Tafoya reports, former Army Spc. Sergio Lopez, 28, had both his legs amputated below the knee after a roadside bomb left the legs barely usable.

LISTEN: Newsradio 780′s Bernie Tafoya reports

Now, sparked by donations from the Plote Companies and the Village of Hillside, Lopez, his wife Maria, and their two daughters will have a three-bedroom built for them, free of charge.

“I consider myself very fortunate to be here, and to get up and breathe fresh air every day, and be with my family and enjoy my kids, you know, I couldn’t ask for more,” Lopez said.

Actual construction on the house begins Monday, and the target date for completion is the 4th of July.