This article tells the true story of SSGT Marcus Burleson, a U.S. Army soldier who suffered catastrophic injuries after an IED detonated during a patrol in Afghanistan in 2011. It covers his military service, his injuries, and how the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation gave him a mortgage-free smart home just before Thanksgiving 2017.
Some stories cut right through the noise. This is one of them.
On a cold December morning in 2011, a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant knelt over an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan — doing his job, protecting his team. The device detonated. In a single moment, Marcus Burleson lost both arms, broke his neck, lost vision in his left eye, and sustained a range of other serious injuries that would change his life permanently.
Six years later, just before Thanksgiving 2017, Marcus walked through the front door of a mortgage-free, custom-built smart home designed entirely around his needs.
This is his story.
Who Is Marcus Burleson?
SSGT Marcus Burleson is a U.S. Army veteran who served three overseas deployments — in Iraq, Papua New Guinea, and Afghanistan. He is one of the thousands of American service members who came home from war carrying injuries that most people will never fully understand.
What sets his story apart is not just the severity of what he endured, but how he has continued to live with purpose and dignity in the years since. His story has become part of a national conversation about how the U.S. supports its most seriously wounded veterans.
The Day Everything Changed
December 9, 2011. Afghanistan.
SSGT Burleson and his team were conducting a dismounted patrol when they identified a suspicious area. They swept it carefully. They found one IED and rendered it safe — standard procedure, professionally executed.
Then they swept again.
A second device was discovered. Marcus moved in to neutralise it. As he knelt over the IED, it detonated.
The injuries were catastrophic:
- Both arms lost
- Broken neck
- Multiple additional broken bones
- Loss of vision in his left eye
- Other serious physical trauma
Marcus survived. That alone speaks to the kind of person he is. But surviving an injury like this is only the beginning of a long and difficult road — one that requires entirely rebuilding how you live your daily life.
Three Deployments, One Life of Service
Before that December day, Marcus had already given years of his life to U.S. military service. His deployments took him to three different parts of the world:
- Iraq — one of the most dangerous conflict zones of the early 2000s
- Papua New Guinea — a less publicised but demanding assignment
- Afghanistan — where his third deployment would become his last
Three deployments. Each one is a commitment to something larger than himself. By the time he was injured, Marcus had already spent years doing the kind of work that rarely makes headlines but holds entire operations together.
Building a Home for America’s Bravest
Recovering from catastrophic injuries means more than medical treatment. It means rethinking every room in your home, every door handle, every light switch. For a veteran who has lost both arms, a standard house is full of daily obstacles.
That’s exactly what the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation set out to fix.
Through their Building for America’s Bravest program, the foundation builds custom smart homes specifically designed for catastrophically injured service members — at no cost to the veteran. These are not standard houses with a few adjustments. They are fully engineered environments built around each soldier’s exact injuries, giving them back as much independence as possible.
Marcus Burleson was one of those recipients.
November 21, 2017: Welcome Home, Marcus
Just days before Thanksgiving, SSGT Marcus Burleson was presented with his new home in Dublin, Texas.
The timing was intentional. Thanksgiving is about gratitude, and the organisations behind this project wanted to make a clear statement: this man’s sacrifice was not forgotten.
The home was built with high-tech smart home features designed to help Marcus do things independently that would otherwise require another person’s help. From voice-activated controls to accessible layouts, every feature had a purpose rooted in his specific needs.
The project brought together multiple sponsors, each contributing their part. Among them was Floors Inc. Carpet One Floor & Home, based in South Lake, TX, which donated the full installation of flooring throughout the entire home. Their contribution was one of many that made this project possible — and a reminder that support for veterans comes from businesses and communities, not just government programs.
What the Building for America’s Bravest Program Does
The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation was created in memory of Stephen Siller, a New York City firefighter who ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel on September 11, 2001, to help at the World Trade Centre, and died doing so.
His memory lives on in a foundation that has committed to supporting first responders, military families, and catastrophically injured veterans through several key programs.
Building for America’s Bravest is among their most significant efforts. Key facts about the program:
- Homes are mortgage-free — veterans own them outright
- Each home is custom-built around the recipient’s specific injuries
- Smart home technology is integrated to support maximum independence
- Multiple corporate and community sponsors fund each build
- Recipients are active-duty or veteran service members with catastrophic injuries
For a veteran like Marcus, this kind of support is not charity — it is a recognition of what he gave.
Why Marcus Burleson’s Story Matters
Stories like this one rarely trend on social media for long. The news cycle moves on. But the people living these realities don’t get to move on as easily.
Marcus Burleson went to war three times. He did everything right on December 9, 2011 — he located a threat, he neutralised it, and he went back to make sure the area was clear. The second device cost him both of his arms, among other life-altering injuries.
He came home to a country that, in this case, showed up for him. That matters.
The smart home in Dublin, TX, isn’t just a building. It’s a daily tool that gives Marcus the ability to live with more independence than standard construction would allow. It reflects what’s possible when communities, companies, and nonprofits align around a single clear purpose: taking care of the people who carried the weight so others wouldn’t have to.
Conclusion
SSGT Marcus Burleson’s story is about service, sacrifice, and a community that refused to look the other way. He deployed three times, was critically injured doing his job, and spent years navigating a life that most of us cannot imagine.
The home he received in 2017 is not the end of his story. It’s one chapter in a larger life being lived with the kind of quiet strength that doesn’t need a spotlight.
If you want to support programs like the one that built Marcus’s home, the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s Building for America’s Bravest program accepts donations and corporate partnerships. Every contribution helps build another home for another veteran who gave everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is SSGT Marcus Burleson?
Marcus Burleson is a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant who served three deployments in Iraq, Papua New Guinea, and Afghanistan. He was catastrophically injured in December 2011 when an IED detonated during a patrol, resulting in the loss of both arms and other serious injuries.
How was Marcus Burleson injured?
On December 9, 2011, while conducting a secondary sweep of a suspicious area in Afghanistan, SSGT Burleson knelt over a second IED to render it safe. The device detonated, causing the loss of both arms, a broken neck, partial vision loss, and other serious injuries.
What kind of home did Marcus Burleson receive?
He received a mortgage-free, custom-built smart home in Dublin, Texas, designed specifically around his injuries. The home was built through the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s Building for America’s Bravest program and was presented to him on November 21, 2017.
Who built Marcus Burleson’s home?
The home was made possible through the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, with multiple corporate sponsors contributing. Floors Inc. Carpet One Floor & Home in South Lake, TX donated the flooring installation throughout the entire property.
What is the Building for America’s Bravest program?
It is a program run by the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation that builds mortgage-free, custom smart homes for catastrophically injured U.S. service members. Homes are designed around each veteran’s specific injuries to maximise their daily independence.
How can I support veterans like Marcus Burleson?
You can donate or partner with the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation directly. Corporate sponsors, individual donors, and community organisations all play a role in funding these custom home builds.
