Marine Corps veteran gets mortgage-free home from Wells Fargo in California

LOS BANOS, Calif. -- A decorated Marine Corps veteran and his family received a very special gift in central California.

The drive into a Los Banos neighborhood marked the end of one journey and the start of another for Corporal Jonathan Chance Thomas and his family. They arrived to see their new mortgage-free home for the first time.

After a quick hug from grandma, the family received one big key -- and the real set to the front door.

The Thomas's then went room to room exploring their new three bedroom home. Four-year-old Avianna even found the perfect spot for her shoes.

At one point, the emotions became overwhelming.

Jonathan's wife, Evita Thomas, said, "Just that it's awarded to us, and we don't have to worry about anything."

Evita and her husband have been through a lot in the past several years. He was wounded by a car bomb in Fallujah in 2004 and received the Purple Heart -- but returned to Iraq again with a sniper platoon before being honorably discharged in 2007. The family has moved around since then, but is now happy to settle down.

Jonathan said, "It's close to her family, and that's important to me. If it makes her happy, I'm happy, and we couldn't ask for anything more."

The family was selected for this life changing gift by the nonprofit Military Warriors Support Foundation, and the home is mortgage-free thanks to Wells Fargo. It's one of more than 250 properties the company has donated to veterans since 2013.

David Galasso with Wells Fargo said, "It's a token of our appreciation for what they do for us, and we certainly couldn't enjoy the lives we do if it weren't for them."

Now the Thomas's are looking forward to living their own American dream with more financial freedom for their future.

Evita said, "This is like a fairy tale and a dream come true, something I never thought would happen like this at least. So it's perfect."

Corporal Thomas says the first thing he plans to do when he starts moving in is to hang a Marine Corps flag next to the American flag.