March 1, 2023
Wounded Warriors Family Support awarded U.S. Army Specialist Stephen Peterson of Land O’ Lakes, Florida with a $30,000 vehicle grant to assist him with the purchase of a 2023 Volvo XC60 Sport Utility.
U.S. Army Specialist (E4) Stephen Peterson enlisted in the military in 2010. During his time in service, Peterson received both a Purple Heart and a Combat Action Badge.
Following his Advanced Infantry Training, Peterson was posted as a combat engineer at Fort Hood’s 36th Engineer Brigade and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. During his deployment, Peterson was on mounted patrol when his vehicle was struck by the blast of an improvised explosive device (IED). Following the explosion Peterson was transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center, where he was treated for multiple injuries including a right leg, above the knee amputation, a pelvic and right hip fracture, and a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).
After his initial surgeries, Peterson was assigned to Ft. Sam Houston to continue with outpatient therapy at the Center for the Intrepid. Peterson currently lives in Florida with his family and is slowly learning to walk again. Since his injury, Peterson has spent most of his time in a wheelchair but remains very active, participating in sports like kayaking, swimming, and biking.
Wounded Warriors Family Support is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide support to the families of those who have been wounded, injured, or killed during combat operations. This organization is run by combat veterans for combat veterans. Rated a four-star nonprofit by Charity Navigator, Wounded Warriors Family Support aids veterans and their families in healing the wounds that medicine cannot.