JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Ahead of Veterans Day next week, one Jackson veteran got the gift of a lifetime Thursday morning.
Otis Smith was gifted a new car during Progressive Insurance’s 13th annual Keys to Progress vehicle giveaway event.
Smith, a native of Goodman, Mississippi, served in the Navy for nearly a decade.
He recently moved to the Jackson area for a fresh start. However, the lack of reliable transportation has made the transition hard.
“These veterans, when they’re coming back sometimes, need help; they need transportation. And this is our way of giving it back to them. So, it makes me feel really proud and really excited,” said Derek McCain, Managed Repair Supervisor for Progressive Insurance.
Progressive says the new car expands Smith’s employment opportunities, enables him to support his stepfather and sister and gives him more time to focus on personal development and growth.
“It’s a mixing pot of feelings I have right now. We’re very appreciative that organizations such as this exist to do things for veterans like myself who might have fallen and just want to get back on their feet and back into society,” said Smith.
Progressive gifted over 50 cars to veterans across the country as part of today’s event.
“We all wonder what others think of us in situations like this. But when it’s put on display and given a gift like this, it really makes you think that good things in life can fall on us, too,” Smith said.
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