MOORESVILLE, NC (WBTV) - Marine Corporal Garrett Carnes came home to a tumultuous welcome in his hometown of Mooresville Friday afternoon. Thousands of people crowded Main Street in the area near the Mack Citizens Center, just waiting for that moment when hundreds of motorcycles would roar into town.
Carnes, 22, is home for the weekend from his rehabilitation at the Walter Reed Army Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, where he was presented with the Purple Heart by President Obama. Carnes was injured in an IED explosion in Afghanistan in February. That blast took parts of both of Carnes legs.
On Friday, hundreds of motorcycle riders with the Patriot Guard escorted Carnes back to Mooresville from Maryland. Carnes was able to ride as well, riding with his father on his motorcycle. Carnes was presented with the key to the city and was able to have a reunion with his beloved dog, Titan.
Carnes and his family are well known in Mooresville. Garrett played football for the Mooresville Blue Devils and graduated from MHS in 2008.
Carnes will have about a year and half of rehab to learn to walk on prosthetic legs. Last week he began his first work trying out one of his new legs.
To see more images of Carnes homecoming, check out the Town of Mooresville's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/townofmooresville
