ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wounded Warriors Family Support presented Ryan Wightman of Tampa, Florida, with a 2022 Chevy Silverado Mobility is Freedom vehicle during halftime of Saturday’s Navy at Central Florida college football game.

Cpl. Wightman is medically retired from the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served on active duty from 2009-15. Wightman was on foot patrol in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province on May 26, 2012, when he was hit by an improvised explosive device.

The blast shattered Wightman’s bones and caused other shock-related trauma. Wightman’s left leg was amputated below the knee in September 2014 after two years of limb salvage and multiple surgeries.

Wightman, who walks with a prosthetic leg, currently participates in athletics that include fly fishing and hunting.

“One of the biggest things holding some veterans back from participating in activities with a group is they don’t want to be a burden, especially if they are in a wheelchair,” Wightman said. “You never want to feel like you are holding anybody back. Having an environment where that is not an issue allows that relationship building and recharging to happen.”

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. Wounded Warriors Family Support has assisted 10 veterans with vehicle needs in 2022.

“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 thrilled to provide this vehicle to Ryan in an effort to enhance his quality of life with family members.”

About Wounded Warriors Family Support
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. For more information about Wounded Warriors Family Support, visit www.wwfs.org.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9fac0d30-fe55-4a72-b5cb-f0b04195047c