Wounded Warriors Family Support, Assurant Honors Mississippi Army Veteran with 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 Truck
09 November 2023 - 7:10AM
Assurant, Inc. (NYSE:AIZ), through the Assurant Foundation, and
Wounded Warriors Family Support presented retired U.S. Army Sgt.
Kevin Gatson of Durant, Mississippi, with a specially modified 2023
GMC Sierra 1500 truck as part of the WWFS Mobility is Freedom
program. The presentation occurred Tuesday afternoon at Assurant’s
Atlanta offices as the nation prepares to honor its military
veterans on Saturday.
“Supporting our veterans, in partnership with Wounded Warriors
Family Support, is one of the many ways we honor their bravery and
sacrifice,” Assurant President and CEO Keith Demmings said. “Today,
we thank Kevin for his service, recognize his sacrifice and look
forward to Kevin putting many successful miles on his new truck in
the coming years.”
Wounded Warriors Family Support launched Mobility is Freedom in
2015 to provide modified vehicles for combat-wounded U.S. veterans.
Across the U.S., there are approximately 350 veterans who need
modified vehicles due to combat-related injuries. Assurant has
partnered with WWFS since 2018. This is the third mobility-modified
vehicle presented to a veteran since the collaboration began.
“We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Assurant,”
Wounded Warriors Family Support CEO and President Kate McCauley
said. “Assurant’s unwavering support and generous contributions
have been instrumental to help us fulfill our mission. It’s
partners like Assurant that make a genuine difference in the lives
of our nation’s veterans and their families. Thank you to Assurant
for being a beacon of hope and pillar of support.”
In 2010, Gatson was deployed to Afghanistan, where he was
injured by an IED while on patrol. Gatson spent almost four years
in a medical center, where he underwent more than 60 surgeries to
save one of his legs and prepare him for the loss of the other. As
part of his physical therapy, Gatson started to play sled hockey.
It has given Gatson what he lost when he was injured and what he
misses – the camaraderie and being a member of team, a unit.
The new truck replaces an unreliable vehicle that Gatson has
used for his year-round participation in Wounded Warrior Games. The
mobility-modified vehicle will provide reliable transportation for
every facet of Gatson’s daily life, support his independence and
enable him to continue playing sled hockey at various venues.
Some vehicle modifications include an Autochair Smart Lifter,
power running boards for safer ingress and egress and a sliding
tonneau cover to bring the vehicle’s value and modifications to
approximately $100,000.
“As a veteran, I have seen the sacrifices our veterans – and
their families – made to keep our country safe,” said Alex
Punsalan, SVP, P&C Claims, and Executive Sponsor of
Veterans@Assurant. “I’m proud to celebrate the first anniversary of
our Veterans@Assurant Employee Resource Group, or ERG, where we
support veterans by fostering a sense of belonging, engagement and
empowerment for Assurant veterans, military families and
allies.”
About Wounded Warriors Family
SupportWounded 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.
About AssurantAssurant, Inc. (NYSE: AIZ) is a
leading global business services company that supports, protects
and connects major consumer purchases. A Fortune 500 company with a
presence in 21 countries, Assurant supports the advancement of the
connected world by partnering with the world’s leading brands to
develop innovative solutions and to deliver an enhanced customer
experience through mobile device solutions, extended service
contracts, vehicle protection services, renters insurance,
lender-placed insurance products and other specialty products.
Learn more at assurant.com or on X (formerly Twitter)
@Assurant.
WWFS Media
Contact: Kevin SchusterMobile:
402.917.6001 Email: kschuster@lukaspartners.com
Assurant Media Contact: David
Biss Mobile: 973-953-0721Email:
david.biss@assurant.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cadae7a3-3c94-4a39-a430-cc96538a85d3
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