CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY)- August 27, 2026, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation presented U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Mario McKenna and his family with a new mortgage-free smart home.
In 2022, McKenna was at the beach with his family when he suffered a C5 spinal cord injury in a diving accident, leaving him a wheelchair bound tetraplegic. His home at the time was a multi-story house that then made everyday activities impossible.
His new Tunnel to Towers smart home is designed around his needs: a single-level home with wider doorways and hallways, and oversized accessible bathrooms.
The kitchen features pull-down cabinets, lower counters, and a stove that lowers to wheelchair height.
Smart technology connects the home via intercom and enables the lights, thermostat, sound, and security system to be controlled via an app.
“I’m looking forward to being more independent, being able to shower, check in and make sure my kids clean their rooms, and help them with their homework in their rooms! Just get outside to have a cup of coffee without asking for help,” saidCPO McKenna.
CPO McKenna enlisted in the U.S. Navy after graduating high school in 2008. His commands include NIOD Groton, the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) National Security Agency Central Security Service at Fort Meade, MD. His honorable service culminated in his selection to the highly selective and extremely competitive Tactical Information Operations program at Naval Special Warfare Special Reconnaissance Team TWO. …