--- title: Smart Homes: Life is Now Easier for a Quadruple Amputee Marine Veteran description: From moving cabinets to remotely activated lights, the home is designed to support a life of independence for former sergeant John Peck canonical: https://time.com/2925287/smart-home-marine-veteran-amputee-john-peck/ author: Francesca Trianni article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-06-26T11:00:18.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-01T08:57:39.426Z og:title: Smart Homes: Life is Now Easier for a Quadruple Amputee Marine Veteran og:description: From moving cabinets to remotely activated lights, the home is designed to support a life of independence for former sergeant John Peck og:url: https://time.com/2925287/smart-home-marine-veteran-amputee-john-peck/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3cefe91165e3c2c8/6986995155a8596cdfa818e3/john_peck_1280.png?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1280 og:image:height: 720 og:image:alt: John Peck Smart Home og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Smart Homes: Life is Now Easier for a Quadruple Amputee Marine Veteran twitter:description: From moving cabinets to remotely activated lights, the home is designed to support a life of independence for former sergeant John Peck twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3cefe91165e3c2c8/6986995155a8596cdfa818e3/john_peck_1280.png?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # A Look Inside the Home That Made "Life Easier" for a Marine Veteran Who Lost All His Limbs > Sponsored content. 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It is a free newsletter available at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-worth-2026q3/newsletters?i=9218ca83-36ed-4cf2-9b16-8229a013b4b1&cr=time-nl-worth-2026q3-v1) ## Video: A Look Inside the Home That Made “Life Easier” for a Marine Veteran Who Lost All His Limbs [Watch (HLS stream): A Look Inside the Home That Made “Life Easier” for a Marine Veteran Who Lost All His Limbs](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/GkAScOqB.m3u8) (3:17)  _Published 2014-06-26. Retired Marine Sergeant John Peck lost all of his limbs when he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan in 2010. He now lives in home built by the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which was designed to meet his individual needs._ by [Francesca Trianni](https://time.com/author/francesca-trianni/) and [Diane Tsai](https://time.com/author/diane-tsai/) Jun 26, 2014 11:00 AM UTC Retired Marine Sergeant John Peck lost all of his limbs when he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan in 2010\. He now lives in home built by the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which was designed to meet his individual needs. by [Francesca Trianni](https://time.com/author/francesca-trianni/) and [Diane Tsai](https://time.com/author/diane-tsai/) Jun 26, 2014 11:00 AM UTC Retired Marine Sergeant John Peck lost all of his limbs when he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan in 2010. After he was once pronounced dead, spent three months in coma, and went through years in recovery, he came to live in a home built by the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Peck worked with the foundation to design a home tailored to his individual needs. With high-tech features such as moving cabinets, tablet-controlled lighting and an automated shower, his house is an example of how smart homes can enable those who are disabled to be more self-sufficient. “The house can’t really solve your problems, it can help make your life easier,” Peck said. In the video above, Peck gives TIME a tour of his home – and shares his passion for cooking. The former marine, who dreamed of becoming a chef ever since he was 12-years-old, is now re-learning how to cook, thanks to a prosthetic arm, an accessible cooktop and a relentless determination. “The first time I cooked a meal in this house, it took a while. I made leek and potato soup,” Peck said. “It was definitely interesting to be able to make stuff and not need help.” ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] My name is John Peck, P- E- C- K. Sergeant, well, retired Sergeant in the Marine Corps. [ MUSIC ] We are, at my house in Fredericksburg, Virginia. [ MUSIC ] The first time I cooked a meal in this house, it took awhile. I made leeks and potato soup. I mean I had to have a little help with the cutting, cuz I still wasn't used to where everything was. It was definitely very interesting. To sit there and actually be able to do stuff, and I have to always need help kinda thing. It's great, [ MUSIC ] The dishwasher is raised, the washer and dryer are raised. The counter tops are lowered, so they're all at wheelchair height. Three of the cabinets come down, so things are easily accessible. All the lights can be controlled from a tablet, so can the fans, music, TVs, security system, climate control. The most mundane ridiculous thing, that would make my life harder is not having the ability to turn on and off the lights or the security alarm. I mean I didn't wanna really say I absolutely needed something cuz that's [ MUSIC ] That's not being humble, That's not me. The one thing that I asked, I think it was the cook top. That, and maybe the shower, were the only two things that I said, hey, can I, do you think this is possible kind of thing, and they definitely helped out with that. It's got one, 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, eight jets [ LAUGH ], yeah, it's pretty awesome. I do live by myself, but my mother is my caretaker. She just recently moved out, she comes from about six to nine at night. Yeah, the house definitely helps to be more independent. I mean the house can't really solve your problems, it can help make your life easier. I'm in line, to a get a double arm transplant. And I'll have about two years of physical therapy, every day. [ MUSIC ] My dream is to, open up a restaurant one day, after I get better. I may not be able to be the head chef in there, but at least I can, you know, taste things, and say hey, this kinda needs this, or be the supervisor, and have some role play in the restaurant, not just be the business. Side of things, actually be the kind of chef thing. 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