U.S. Army Specialist Nicolas Koonce served tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, but debilitating injuries as well as PTSD and depression led him to medically retire from the military in 2012. In honor of his service, and after his family was recently left with no vehicle, Freedom Alliance and U.S. Bank partnered to present Koonce with a new payment-free Jeep Cherokee.
Koonce knew his family was receiving the vehicle, but was still in shock when it was presented to him Wednesday morning in front of a crowd of about 200 people behind the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum. The vehicle was provided by Jerry Ray Davis Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.
“I knew I was getting a vehicle, but it really hadn’t set in until I actually saw it. A flood of emotions kind of overtook me,” Koonce said. “It’s overwhelming emotionally. I had no idea that I would ever be in this position, but now it’s a huge weight lifted off me and my wife’s shoulders that we’re able to have a vehicle again.”
The family’s other vehicle was recently totaled during an accident, but no one was injured.
“Having a vehicle not only helps to keep my family safe but will allow me to receive care for my injuries,” Koonce said. “Right now, we depend on a rental car, grocery delivery services and Ubers so this will also alleviate a tremendous financial burden.”
With Koonce preferring not to speak in front of the crowd, Freedom Alliance president Tom Kilgannon told the veteran’s story.
Koonce enlisted in the Army Reserves in 2006, and later went active duty. He did two deployments — one to Iraq for 15 months and one to Afghanistan for 12 months. He served as a recovery mechanic and recovery vehicle operator. He conducted numerous route clearances, but the constant strain on his back led to debilitating injuries and subsequent lumbar surgery.
“Nic and his team were out ahead of everybody, making sure that the roads were clear, that there were no obstructions, that both the bombs and IEDs that were littered on the road had to be neutralized and taken out,” Kilgannon said.
Kilgannon said working with people like Nic and his wife Erica is heartwarming and emotional.
“Nic did two tours, and he brings home with him very painful emotional memories that continue to haunt him and make it difficult for him to live out his life the way he did prior to deployment,” Kilgannon said. “… Our troops who have these emotional injuries speak of their demons, and these demons attack by not letting them sleep, not letting them be able to concentrate. Nic is somebody who has shown courage on the battlefield, but he has also shown a lot of courage here at home.”
Kilgannon described a situation in which Koonce was dealing with an extreme mental health crisis, but he talked to his wife and sought therapy to continue to fight his personal battle.
“Nic showed the courage to stay alive. He showed the courage to fight those demons. He showed his family that he’s going to do everything he can to be the supportive husband and father that he needs to be for them,” Kilgannon said. “And that’s why I admire so much. That’s why I love this guy, because he is somebody who is an American hero.”
The presentation of the vehicle was part of the “Driven to Serve” program, an initiative that pairs available vehicles with service members in need. This is the 55th vehicle donated under the program since 2018.
Freedom Alliance is a charitable organization providing help and support to wounded troops and military families. Freedom Alliance has awarded more than $20 million in college scholarships to children of heroes killed or disabled in military service and spent millions more helping injured veterans and their families with outdoor therapy trips, Heroes Retreats, care packages, mortgage-free homes, all-terrain chairs, and more.
