Sept. 18, 2023
Wounded Warriors Family Support presented Carlos Evans of Winter Garden, Florida, with a 2023 Chevy Tahoe Mobility is Freedom vehicle during halftime of Saturday’s Villanova at Central Florida college football game. This donation was part of the #UCFSalutes Military Appreciation game.
Evans, who is medically retired from the U.S. Marine Corps, was on patrol in 2004 when he stepped on an improvised explosive device during his fourth deployment. The accident led to the loss of both his legs and left hand.
“Life is a challenge and full of obstacles,” Evans said. “There is always someone in your life that is going to push you that extra mile, that extra limit. There is always someone in your life that is going to believe in you, your dreams, your goals and your choices. So what looks like an obstacle in your life today, yesterday or this morning when you woke up really is not an obstacle. It is a stepping stone to your goals for whatever you want to do in your life.”
Wounded Warriors Family Support launched Mobility is Freedom in 2015 to provide modified vehicles for combat-wounded veterans. Across the U.S., there are 350 veterans who need modified vehicles because of their combat-related injuries.
“The Mobility is Freedom program provides a combat-wounded veteran with the independence he or she needs to help them live a normal life,” Wounded Warriors Family Support Program Outreach Coordinator Martin Duarte said. “We are proud and honored to provide this vehicle to Carlos in an effort to enhance his quality of life with family members.”
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.