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Marine veteran, family return home to renovated Cranberry Twp. home

CRANBERRY, Pa. — Purple Heart recipient Staff Sgt. Joshua Caskey and his family returned to their Cranberry Township home Friday afternoon after a week-long vacation, to see renovations performed while they were away by volunteers.

At the conclusion of the five-day major home improvement, Caskey, his wife and their four children returned to their Briarwood Lane home around 2 p.m. in a stretch limousine. They were originally told only small repairs were going to be made.

The Builders Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh in teaming with the NFL Player’s Association selected Caskey as the recipient of its five-day “Blitz Improvement” program for homes.

“Oh, my,” Caskey said when he first saw the improvements. He pumped his fists in the air viewed the improvements with a look of shock.

A live band, singers and the volunteers witnessed the Caskeys come home to see some of the upgrades they expected but many more that were a surprise.

They returned home to find that steps had been made more accessible and the kitchen renovated with new appliances and cabinets. The house was painted inside and out and new siding installed.

“I don’t even know what to say. It’s overwhelming in a good way,” Caskey said. “I appreciate everybody so much.”

Caskey medically retired from the marines in March 2012 as a result of injuries suffered during his second tour in Iraq, after serving 12 1/2 years and returning to Pennsylvania where Josh and Kelly grew up.

Caskey’s younger brother, Marine Sgt. Joseph Caskey, was killed in June 2010 in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb. Caskey and his brother grew up in West View.

The Caskeys left for their free vacation to Nemacolin Woodlands on Monday at 10 a.m. and returned home at 2 p.m. Friday. Approximately 60 workers per day, including remodelers, home builders, suppliers, tradesmen, former NFL players and many others generously came together Monday through Friday to get the renovations done in time.

Channel 11’s news exchange partners at TribLIVE contributed to this report.