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LAYTON — A retired U.S. Army sergeant described receiving a payment-free car, given to him and his family as part of an effort to support wounded military veterans, as "life-changing."
Sgt. William Davis III, of Syracuse, was presented with a 2023 Kia Sportage on Saturday by a group of nonprofits and local businesses.
"The emotions right now are just out of control," Davis said. "For me and my family, it means a lot."
He said having a dependable vehicle will help give him and his family financial freedom. Davis lives in Syracuse with his wife and three children.
"It's been a struggle," Davis said. "It sounds cliche to say, but it is life-changing for us."
The car was presented by the Military Warriors Support Foundation's Transportation4Heroes program, in collaboration with Young Caring for Our Young, Wells Fargo and Young KIA.
The Transportation4Heroes program provides cars for veterans wounded in combat, as well as the surviving spouses of people killed in action.
The gift of the car also includes a year of family and financial mentoring. Ken Eakes, executive director of the Military Warriors Support Foundation, said he thinks this is the most crucial part because it allows the foundation to help veterans and their families overcome challenges and accomplish their goals.
"Walking alongside the veterans is what's super important to us because it allows us to get to know them," Eakes said. "A lot of us that are around the men and women in the military think we know what they need, but each situation is different, so by the time we get to know them … we can better develop a plan with them."
Program beneficiaries pay off an average of $29,000 in debt by the end of the program, Eakes said. Having limited transportation decreases veterans' employment opportunities, so giving them a car is one way to help.
"We're going to take this family and put our arms around them," Eakes said. "That, to us, is really what it's all about."
Davis was born and raised in Alaska. He joined the U.S. Army in 2006, serving at Camp Casey in South Korea for a year and then being stationed at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011, where he was injured in combat in 2012.
He medically retired due to his injuries in November 2013. Davis has received several awards, including the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, and an Army Commendation Medal.
"I'm just so proud of him," Eakes said.
The Military Warriors Support Foundation has donated around $200 million across all 50 states to veterans' support programs, cars and housing. The foundation has gifted more than 900 mortgage-free homes and more than 130 payment-free vehicles.
Tami Olsen, director of Young Caring for Our Young, said this is the first time her organization has had the chance to partner with Transportation4Heroes.
"It's an act of love and inclusion when we get to celebrate a veteran that has given so much to the country," Olsen said.
Eakes encourages anyone who knows a veteran who could benefit from the Transportation4Heroes program to recommend them on the foundation's website.
