The DrivenToDrive program helps injured veterans, like retired Air Force Senior Airman Karah Behrend, regain their independence and get back behind the wheel of a retrofitted vehicle.
“No one can see my disability when I’m behind the wheel of a car,” Behrend said in a news release.
TrueCar, AutoNation, and Disabled American Veterans, or DAV, recently awarded a retrofitted 2020 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 to Behrend, who joined the Air Force in 2011 as a signals intelligence analyst.
In conjunction with Veterans Day on Wednesday, the presentation to Behrend took place in a surprise virtual ceremony. TrueCar Military’s brand ambassador, Jesse Iwuji, presented the vehicle.
Behrend spent approximately six and a half years in the military before medically retiring. Diagnosed with RSD CRPS (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Complex Regional Pain Syndrome), she was left in a wheelchair.
“Driving gives me a sense of freedom and the confidence that I’m not limited by my disability,” Behrend said.
She continued, “Whether it’s running errands or letting my adrenaline flow with off-road racing, I feel like I have my independence back when I’m driving. I’m proud of serving my country and so appreciative to be TrueCar’s 2020 DrivenToDrive recipient. I cannot wait to drive my brand-new Chevy Colorado.”
Army Ranger and DrivenToDrive ambassador, Cory Remsburg influenced TrueCar’s connection to the disabled veterans’ community.
This marks the fourth year and fifth vehicle donation through TrueCar’s DrivenToDrive, a program built in partnership with DAV and AutoNation. With a virtual ceremony on Veterans Day, The DrivenToDrive program took place remotely this year.
This year, Iwuji participated as a special guest in the 2020 DrivenToDrive program, surprising Behrend at her home in Phoenix with the Chevrolet Colorado.
Behrend, 27, is an adaptive athlete who participates in basketball and rugby Warrior Games. She is also passionate about off-road racing and competes as an amateur rally racer; recently placing second in the Rebelle Rally, a women’s off-road navigation rally raid.
Behrend plans to use the Chevrolet Colorado to train other disabled individuals how to drive off-road with hand controls, in case they find themselves in a vulnerable situation or stuck off-road. She also hopes to create her own hand controls for manual transmission vehicles to help adaptive drivers drive stick shift cars.
“Retired Air Force Senior Airman Karah Behrend has broken down many barriers at such a young age, showing us that with resiliency and optimism, anything is possible,” said TrueCar president and chief executive officer Mike Darrow.
He continued, “She continues to show strength by overcoming obstacles in her daily life. It makes us proud to support veterans like Karah, who have made great sacrifices for our country, through our DrivenToDrive program. We are honored to work again with our great partners, AutoNation and DAV, to empower our veterans to get behind the wheel.”
“AutoNation is proud to partner with TrueCar on the DrivenToDrive program again this year and we are honored to award retired Air Force Senior Airman Karah Behrend with a brand-new vehicle for all of the sacrifices she made for our country,” said Marc Cannon, executive vice president and chief customer experience officer at AutoNation. “We are proud to recognize and support military members on Veterans Day through DrivenToDrive.”
“TrueCar understands the impact America’s veterans have had on keeping our nation safe, and DAV is honored to continue partnering with TrueCar on DrivenToDrive,” said DAV national adjutant and chief executive officer Marc Burgess. “The fact that Karah, a DAV member, has pledged to use her new vehicle to help her fellow veterans perfectly illustrates her selflessness and commitment to her brothers and sisters in arms.”
In addition to Airman Behrend, other attendees of the DrivenToDrive virtual vehicle reveal event on Veterans Day included Remsburg, Darrow, Cannon, Burgess, Iwuji, and 2019 DrivenToDrive recipient, Centra “Ce-Ce” Mazyck.
Source : AutoFinanceNews
