LAMARTINE, Wis. (WFRV) – A national non-profit led by Pro Football Hall of Famer Jared Allen is giving back to a Wisconsin Marine who sacrificed so much for his country.
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A new home is taking shape on a street in Lamartine for United States Marine Lance Corporal Josh Wege.
LCpl. Wege was just 19 years old when an IED in Afghanistan struck his armoured vehicle, leaving him a double amputee below the knees.
The injury has changed LCpl. Wege’s perspective on life. He even called it a blessing of some sort because it’s taught him to overcome adversity.
“My injury, honestly, as weird as it sounds, was probably one of the biggest blessings of my life, because it tested me as a man, as a person, on how to overcome and adapt to things,” LCpl. Wege said.
The new home is being built through Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors, a non-profit founded by 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Jared Allen.
Every inch of the home is designed for LCpl. Wege and his family’s needs, like wider doorways, wider hallways and lower countertops.
“The home is built specifically for Josh and his family,” Executive Director Alex Karalexis said. “Everyone’s home is different, the size of the family and the injury the veteran suffers. It makes a difference in the home.”
Each build eliminates barriers and gives veterans independence in their own homes.
“You go to a ball park, a theatre, a restaurant, there’s always a handicap section, we try to eliminate that, this is a home,” Karalexis said.
Wege said that he is looking forward to laying down his roots in his new home.
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“This is my future home, I can raise kids and a family here,” LCpl. Wege said. “This is something we can call home. Lamartine, Wisconsin, is now home.”
Jared Allen’s Home for Wounded Warriors has built 29 homes over the last 15 years.
