An army veteran was surprised at his Tennessee home this weekend with a truck full of badly needed auto parts to help him fix up his beloved 2005 Dodge Ram 15000 SLT 4X4. Robertson is one of hundreds of active and veteran service members who posted their stories and vehicles in the AutoPartsWarehouse.com’s Heroes Gallery. AutoPartsWarehouse representatives presented Robertson with a gift certificate, as well as the auto parts Robertson needed from Magnaflow, Proforged Chassis Parts, Pro Comp, Putco, K&N and Powerstop.
“We are proud to be able, in some small way, to give back to those who have given so much for our country,” said AutoPartsWarehouse.com CEO Shane Evangelist. “We were touched by Sergeant Robertson’s story and the sacrifices he has made. We were happy to work with our auto parts partners to provide him with the parts he needs to get his truck in great working order. For many veterans and active duty service members, their vehicles (and working on their vehicles), are a great recreation and escape — and in many instances, a daily necessity, which is why we created TheHeroes Automobile Gallery.”
The AutoPartsWarehouse.com Heroes Automobile Gallery program was launched earlier this year and provides service members with a 20% discount* on auto parts and an opportunity to share pictures of their vehicle, and what it means to them, as well as a little about their military history. The gallery has hundreds of vehicle photos and service member stories, painting a unique picture of the men and women who sacrifice so much for their country. “Just a quick trip through this gallery of heroes is a reminder of the sacrifices so many have made,” continued Evangelist.
“My truck means so much to me and I am so grateful to AutoPartsWarehouse.com and their partners for this wonderful surprise,” said Robertson. “I look forward to sharing photos in the Heroes Gallery as I DIY the fixes on my truck.”
According to his Heroes Gallery posting, Sergeant Rick Robertson served in the Army with Bravo Company 2/327 of the 101st Airborne for 10 years, enlisting two days after September 11, 2001; although he had spent time in the Reserves, he wanted to fight for his country, so he decided to join the infantry and was at MEPPS two weeks later,. According to Robertson, while on active duty, on November 4, 2003, in the confusion of mortars dropping in the dark, he fell into a very large crater on a runway and broke his back – but he did not know at the time that his back was broken, and he kept on. In fact, it wasn’t until after his third and final tour of duty that he discovered that his back had been broken. From this injury, he now has arthritis in his spine, multiple herniated and bulging discs, and one extruded disc, and he is shorter by over an inch since the three years that he’s been out of the Army. But that doesn’t stop him from working on his beloved truck.
An auto DIYer, Robertson says that working on his truck is one of his favorite pastimes. “I believe things happen for a reason in life. I have always been one to roll with the punches. There are no mistakes, only lessons,” said Robertson. Click here to read Rick’s full story in his own words: http://blog.autopartswarehouse.com/2014/07/heroes-gallery-feature-rick-robertson-ram-rambo-walking-face-danger-one-else-will/
AutoPartsWarehouse.com has long had a special interest in helping the brave men and women serving with courage and distinction in our military, especially with their special needs when it comes to their vehicles. In 2012, AutoPartsWarehouse.com surprised returning serviceman Staff Sergeant Ben Sorensen by fixing his beloved 1987 Chevy Blazer just in time for his coming home from duty.
In 2013, the company launched a Veterans Day Heroes Salute program wherein a portion of sales was donated to Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit that provides emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded veterans. AutoPartsWarehouse.com presented a check for $8,000 to Operation Homefront last December 2013.
For more info about the Heroes Automobile Gallery, the 20% discount for service members and/or to upload a photo, go to http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/heroes.