Wounded Marine Welcomed Home
Community Renovated Home –
Gives Hero Welcome
The following story is local to me. I live in the countryside between Marietta and Hiram Georgia. The distances are about the same to each, although my entire family grew up inside the city of Marietta and all live there, children and grandchildren, all except for myself and wife. My wife was born there and I lived within the city more than 50 years of my life and so it is home. We always go to Hiram to get our barbeque and my artist’s supplies and do some shoping there. The birthplace of some of my wife’s ancestors is in Hiram.
It is with great interest that I report this story, and I wish there were a Hiram news outlet that I could get so that I would have known about this project before I read it too late to help.
I have to applaud everyone that helped out here and add them to my good neighbor list. I found the story on our Atlanta Channel 11 news, 11 Alive News and copied some of it here. Go to the link to read the rest. Great reporting on our local Hero.
Blair Meeks reports
Justin Kinnee
Last Modified: 11/22/2007
He wasn’t supposed to live, but a Marine from Hiram (Georgia) gets a Thanksgiving homecoming that gives his family new life. Corporal Justin Kinnee was on foot patrol in Iraq two years ago when an IED exploded two feet away from him.
Kinee lost 90 percent of his blood, which caused a stroke and then paralysis. He fought his way out of a coma and then learned to walk again. Now, thanks to the community, he’s coming home to a completely renovated home.
The rolling thunder of American Legion Riders rumbled into Hiram. Deputies and police officers from the community joined in the escort. They called it a heroes welcome, and as former military men walk to shake the hand the man they’re calling hero, that hero makes it obvious he’s uncomfortable in the glare of this attention.
Dozens of people, businesses and church groups came together to renovate the house for Kinnee and his mother, who helps with his care.
Karen Allen, project coordinator said, “There are a lot of people that honestly appreciate our military and they appreciate the job they’re doing sense they really are fighting for our freedom.”
Two years of hospitals and surgery and he’s back on his feet. His new community is helping make sure he stays that way. It’s difficult to find the words to say thanks.
“Especially a community that I don’t even know.. would want to come and thank me. It’s like speaking Chinese to me, I don’t know what that is and I don’t know how to respond to that,” Kinnee said.
A Marine, not used to hearing thanks, hears in it a big way from an entire community.
“It’s the house that God built,” said Hazel Kinnee, his mother.
Kinnee still has a lot of recovering to do. His left arm is still paralyzed. His face is still numb, but he will probably be out of the Marines by January or February. Then it’s on to his new life.
This is the way we should treat our Heroes
Oldtimer
Oldtimer Speaks Out 