CINCINNATI — A U.S. Army veteran said his life has been changed after receiving a new wheelchair-accessible van.
Jarid Clapp was nearly in tears as he was handed the keys to a fully customized van Thursday afternoon. While in Iraq, Clapp was forced to jump from the top of a medium tactical vehicle to avoid a dangerous situation. His landing led to a spinal cord injury that got even worse over time, impacting his brain and leaving him permanently disabled.
Since his injury, Clapp said it has been difficult to move around on his own. He said that when got a wheelchair he felt like he had won the lottery. The moment he saw his new ride, though, was even better.
"This is like winning the lottery for the second time — only a bigger jackpot," he said. "This is amazing. It’ll allow me to be independent on my own, I can go to places."
"Driven To Serve," an initiative between Freedom Alliance and U.S. Bank, works to pair available vehicles with service members in need. The van given to Clapp will allow him to participate in more activities — even ones as simple as traveling to an appointment.
"There’s more options that this van has than I knew existed that will make my life better," Clapp said.
A large crowd gathered to celebrate Clapp's big moment. His service dog, Jax, was right by his side the entire ceremony.
"I can’t describe the emotions that I’m feeling," Clapp said. "To have this many people care about someone they don’t know … it’s amazing."
Thankfully, Jax gave his stamp approval on the van as soon as it opened.
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