Nonprofit Helping a Hero, Bass Pro Shops and homebuilder Lennar welcomed retired Army Staff Sgt. Brent Bretz  on Sept. 28 to a brand-new home adapted to make daily life easier for the double-amputee injured by an explosion while on duty in Iraq.

Neighbors at Lennar's Warner Meadow community near Gilbert lined the streets waving American flags and holding handmade signs cheering "Welcome Home, SSG Bretz."

Bretz was greeted by special guests Helping a Hero founder Meredith Iler and Alan Jones, Lennar Phoenix Division president. Helping a Hero is a nonprofit providing support for military personnel severely injured in the war on terror.

The homecoming celebration was part of Helping a Hero's 100 Homes Challenge, which was launched by Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops.

Lennar has joined the effort and committed to building 10 homes for Helping a Hero as part of the  Challenge. Homes by Lennar are being built in Texas, Arizona, Florida and Colorado – with more homes to be added.

Lennar worked with Helping a Hero to adapt the new home – a single-story Trillium plan showcasing Lennar's Next Gen home-within-a-home design – to be fully wheelchair accessible.

The home includes three bedrooms and two bathrooms in the main portion and the Next Gen suite portion has one bedroom with a private bathroom, a living room and kitchen with a single-car attached garage.

Bretz' new home also includes a covered patio and zero-entry shower in the owner's suite.

"Since being injured, I have never had an adapted home," Bretz said in a release. "That I will now have freedom in my home and be able to take a shower alone and be safe, is just amazing. Thank you to Helping a Hero, Bass Pro, Capital One and Lennar for making this home a reality. I am forever grateful."

Staff Sgt. Bretz joined the Army in October 2000. He completed Basic and Infantry training at Fort Benning, Georgia then was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington,with the 25th Infantry Division.

His unit deployed to Iraq, where he was a sniper.

Bretz was driving a supply truck Dec. 19, 2004, when it hit an improvised explosive device, which took both of his legs and left him with multiple permanent injuries. He was stabilized in Germany and completed his rehabilitation in San Antonio.

Although a double amputee, Bretz is independent and wears his prosthetics at least a portion of every day. He is a dad to his 21-year-old daughter and spends his time as founder of a nonprofit to help veterans find transitional housing.

"Staff Sgt. Bretz is a servant leader who has never had an adapted home," Iler said in a release. "Helping a Hero is thrilled to partner with Lennar to design a wheelchair accessible home for Brent and his family – complete with wider doors and hallways, an adapted bathroom and other safety features to insure they have freedom inside their new home."

Said Jones: "Giving back to the communities in which we build is a core value at Lennar and on behalf of our entire Phoenix Division, we are honored that Brent chose a Lennar home,. Our team is happy to commit our time and resources to create an exceptional home for an extremely deserving American hero."

Bretz' new home is within the master-planned community of Warner Meadow, near the town of Gilbert. Warner Meadow features a community pool, picnic area with outdoor kitchen, playground, tot lot, sport court and greenbelt.