AVONDALE, Ariz.—Army Sgt. Padge Mattaliano survived one improvised explosive device blast in Afghanistan. The second tore away portions of his leg and bicep, leaving him permanently disabled.
Twice awarded the Purple Heart, Mattaliano was just 23 when he came face-to-face with death—and walked away with a deeper appreciation for life.
More than a decade later, “feeling blessed” is a phrase that he still returns to often. It was on his mind again as he prepared to begin a new chapter in a mortgage-free home provided through the Military Warriors Support Foundation.
The foundation’s Homes4WoundedHeroes program awards mortgage-free homes to combat-wounded veterans and unmarried Gold Star spouses, along with three years of family and financial mentoring.
Eligible recipients include veterans wounded in combat or training and spouses of servicemembers killed in action, with Purple Heart recipients given priority. Homes must be primary residences, and applicants cannot carry an existing mortgage.
On June 4, Mattaliano, 37, his wife Annabelle, and their sons, Leo, 16, and Fox, 18 months, traded up from a two-bedroom apartment in Irvine, California, to a three-bedroom home in Avondale, Arizona.
“We’re stoked. A little sad,“ Mattaliano told The Epoch Times. ”I love California. It is very expensive there. Like, crazy expensive.
“But this place is just gorgeous.”
The move came at the end of a long search for stability—and a more sustainable cost of living for a growing family.
The opportunity itself arrived unexpectedly, through a fellow Afghanistan veteran and friend who had also been wounded in combat and previously benefited from the same program.
“He hit me up and said, ‘Dude, I know you’re struggling,“ Mattaliano said. ”This foundation helped us get a home. I think you are a good candidate.”
He followed the advice.
Within a few months, Mattaliano and his family were matched with an 1,800-square-foot, two-story home that fit their needs: three bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, a modern kitchen with updated appliances, and a backyard with space to grow grass—or start a garden.
“This is like a blessing from God,“ he said. ”We had to sign up for it.”
Military Warriors Support Foundation Executive Vice President Casey Kinser said Mattaliano represented exactly the type of veteran the program is designed to serve—those who carry both visible and invisible wounds of war, yet continue building forward-looking lives.
“His selection for the Homes4WoundedHeroes program was driven not only by the sacrifices he made in uniform but also by the determination he has shown in building a life and future for his family after service,” Kinser told The Epoch Times.
“Like many wounded veterans, Padge has faced challenges that extend far beyond the battlefield, yet he has continued to move forward with remarkable courage and perseverance.”
Kinser said the impact of a mortgage-free home often extends well beyond immediate financial relief.
For families like the Mattalianos, she said, it can reset the foundation of daily life—eliminating one of the largest recurring expenses and replacing it with long-term stability.
That stability creates space for families to focus on what comes next: investing in children, rebuilding savings, and pursuing opportunities that may have once felt out of reach.
“For Padge, this home represents more than four walls and a roof,“ Kinser said. ”It is a permanent foundation from which he and his family can build the next chapter of their lives.
“It provides security, independence, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing his family’s future is protected.”
She said the home also carries a symbolic weight—one that reaches beyond financial security.
It serves as a reminder that sacrifice is not forgotten, even as years pass and life moves forward, Kinser said.
“One of the greatest privileges of our work is witnessing the ripple effect these homes create,“ she said. ”We are not simply changing the trajectory of a veteran’s life—we are helping create a stronger future for spouses, children, and future generations.”
Mattaliano’s path to that moment began in 2012, when, as an infantry squad leader, he encountered multiple “daisy-chain” improvised explosive devices (IED) during separate missions in Afghanistan. One of the earliest was a 500-pound IED concealed inside a damaged school building.
“Our medic, is the one that got hit by it,“ Mattaliano said. ”I was about five feet from him. We started taking small arms fire.”
On a later mission, his battalion reached an H-shaped intersection and discovered another set of six linked devices.
“We were trying to disarm them [when the bombs went off],” he said.
“My lieutenant was in the blast with me. We don’t know if he stepped on it or if they just initiated it, but it seemed like he was the main person on it.
“I was standing shoulder to shoulder with him—that’s why I got hit as bad. He lost both his legs.”
Mattaliano lost portions of a quadricep and bicep and was left temporarily deaf, blind, and paralyzed on his left side.
His recovery took two years. By the time he reached a stable point medically, the Army had initiated his retirement.
Looking ahead, Mattalliano said he plans to continue his education in computer science and use those skills to pursue employment.
“I really just want to focus on that and find a way to leverage this opportunity to make more money,” he said.
His wife recently earned her law degree in California and is now considering a legal career in Arizona.
“We weren’t sure if we were staying in state, so I didn’t take the [California] bar exam,“ she said. ”I might look into taking it here. It’s an option for sure.”
For their son Leo, the transition has been simpler: more space, more privacy, and a room of his own.
“It’s a nice house,“ he told The Epoch Times. ”It’s better than sleeping on the couch in our apartment.”
Padge Mattaliano said the meaning of the home is measured less in square footage than in what it removes—pressure, uncertainty, and financial strain.
His next chapter feels more stable than it has in years, he said.
“We are on a really good path,” Mattaliano said.
