Foundation gifts wheelchair-accessible home to former deputy who was left disabled after chase

STATESVILLE, N.C. — Master Police Officer Larry McCorkle was seriously hurt while chasing down a suspect nearly 20 years ago, but this week he’s getting a new home that can make his day-to-day life a little easier.

Channel 9′s Dave Faherty was in Statesville on Monday as McCorkle and his family saw their new home for the first time.

McCorkle said that thanks to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, this Thanksgiving is one his family will never forget.

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Inside the home, we could see his reaction with his family at his side.

“It means the whole world. I’m just so humbled, honored, and blessed,” McCorkle told Faherty. “When I walked through the door, it was like shock and awe. Just amazing.”

Statesville- The Tunnel to Towers Foundation blessed a former Burke County Sheriff’s Deputy with a wheel-chair...
Posted by Dave Faherty on Monday, November 25, 2024

McCorkle was badly injured back in 2005. He was chasing down a suspect when he got caught in a 25-foot ravine in Burke County. He broke his neck and had a severe spinal cord injury.

His wife, Trinia, has been at his side as Larry has undergone more than 30 surgeries.

“He always has that smile on his face. He tries to let people think that he’s not in pain but he is,” Trinia told Faherty.

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Police from Hickory, the district attorney, and Burke County Sheriff Banks Hinceman spoke about Larry’s commitment to helping others while serving several law enforcement agencies in the area prior to his injuries.

“He always went above and beyond what he needed to do to get the job done. And he cared deeply for the citizens in our communities,” Hinceman said.

Because of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, McCorkle will have easier access to appliances in the kitchen and better mobility into his bathroom. The home will give him more independence in a home that is mortgage-free.

“Usually when we have a Thanksgiving dinner before we eat or anything I always ask people to say what they are thankful for. And god knows I’m thankful for this here,” Larry said.

Because it’s a smart home, Larry can control a lot of things from his phone. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has provided more than 1,000 mortgage-free homes to people across the country.

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