North Texas Army veteran gets mortgage-free home

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An Army veteran and mother from Mesquite got the keys to a mortgage-free home donated by a charity.

Up until Tuesday, the home was foreclosed. But now, it’s U.S. Army Specialist Erica Corley’s home.

She had seen the outside of the home before, but Tuesday was her first opportunity to look inside, and she was literally dancing her way through the home as she explored. Her two kids, just 13 and 10 years old, quickly scampered toward their new rooms.

Corley enlisted in 2009. She served seven years. During that time, she was deployed to Kuwait and Japan, far away from her kids. But now, she has a new home as she works toward a degree and builds her life in North Texas.

“I feel like people made more sacrifices than I did,” she said. “They served longer than I did, maybe. I don't know. But God put me here.”

“These are life changing moments for our military family members who get placed in a home,” said Robin Miller with Operation Homefront. “These become a legacy.”

Operation Homefront is the charity that made it happen. They were able to do the project with Chase Bank. It owned the foreclosure and crews refurbished the home before it became the Army veteran’s home.

Corley said the kitchen is her favorite and is really just happy the kids haven't fought over who gets which room yet.