Dignitaries broke ground on a home today for Juan Dominguez, a soldier who lost three limbs during a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Dominguez, along with his fiancee, police, fire and other officials, moved the first shovels full of dirt at the site of his future home in the Paseo Del Sol housing tract on Butterfield Stage Road just south of Pauba Road.
Standard Pacific Homes is building Dominguez's home, which will be customized to accommodate his disability, and Frank Siller of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and headed the effort.
Dominguez currently lives in San Diego.
Ned Wallace of Wallace Air Cargo based in Newport Beach paid for most of the construction with a donation of $450,000, according to Frank Siller.
The organizations raised additional money by throwing a concert featuring Gary Sinise's "Lt. Dan Band" at the Civic Center.
The concert grossed $130,000, though the cost of the concert and the net benefit were unavailable today, Siller said.
"We've raised enough funds, but anything raised above it will go to (the customizations,)" Siller said. They will likely cost an additional $50,000, he said.
Speakers stepped up to the podium before breaking ground to laud the disabled soldier for his service to his country. "I can't image your sacrifice," said Jeff Comerchero.
Academy Award-winning actor Jon Voight took the mic and sung Dominguez's praises, saying he was part of a movement to unify the country. "We're had a real problem (in the U.S.), especially since the 60s… about the way this country is going, but we've rallied," he said.
Dominguez said he was happy he chose to move to Temecula. He recalled a time when he was visiting the site earlier, and a neighbor came out to introduce herself.
"She came out just to say, 'Hi, welcome to Temecula, we're your neighbors,'" Dominguez said. "I've never been to a community where they do things like that."
