A Chattanooga soldier who lost his legs in an Afghanistan bomb blast this spring is scheduled to return home early Thursday morning to planned fanfare and honors at his former high school.

U.S. Army Spc. Andrew Smith and his wife, Tori, are expected to arrive at the Wilson Air Center at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport to be greeted by friends, family, students of Chattanooga Christian School and local well-wishers.

The soldier suffered life-threatening wounds, losing one leg at the knee and the other above the knee along with substantial abdominal wounds when he stepped on an improvised explosive device while on a combat foot patrol in Afghanistan on March 8.

Mark Wilson, a local businessman, has formed a nonprofit group called Steps 2 Hope that has a goal of building a home for the Smiths by late spring or early summer 2013.

Wilson helped coordinate the welcome home for the Smiths and said recently that the specialist will be honored during halftime at Chattanooga Christian's home football game Friday night.

The nonprofit is planning with local businesses to support fundraising through donations and a program called "2 for Andrew," which encourages residents to donate $2 toward the home-building project.