Veteran's New Ride: A Gift of Freedom

U.S. Army veteran Eric Walnofer was recently presented with a new, payment-free hybrid Kia as part of the Military Warriors Support Foundation's Transportation4Heroes program. This initiative is dedicated to supporting combat-wounded veterans and the spouses of service members who died in the line of duty. The presentation ceremony, held on Wednesday, June 24, in Edmond, was a collaborative effort involving Wells Fargo and Kalidy Kia. Oklahoma's Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell and the foundation's executive director, B. Ken Eakes, were in attendance to honor Walnofer.

Walnofer served as a staff sergeant and all-wheel mechanic from 2005 to 2015, with deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa. After sustaining a wound in Iraq, he became involved with the Professional Armed Forces Rodeo Association, an organization that hosts rodeo events for veterans. The vehicle provided to Walnofer is one of over 200 distributed by the foundation. In addition to the car, he will receive two years of family and financial mentoring, supporting his life in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, where he continues to compete in and mentor rodeo.