Matt Amos

Matt will be the first to tell you something surprising. He believes he’s “truly been blessed,” and that being injured may have been “the best thing that could have ever happened” to him. His injury was not easy. It changed his entire life. What changed him even more was what came after, the generosity, the sense of community, and the people who showed up simply because they cared.

Matt served as a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. In 2011, during his third combat deployment in Sangin, Afghanistan, he was leading his team down an alley known for IED ambush tactics. His sweep team painted a safe line for the Marines to follow one at a time. As Matt turned to signal the next Marine forward, he unknowingly stepped off that line and directly onto an IED. “Part of the job,” he says quietly, though the impact of that moment has shaped every day of his life since and ultimately led to him becoming a bilateral amputee.

Years later, Matt built a new life in rural Kansas. He’d worked a decade in a prosthetics clinic and was ready for a change, planning to start a food truck inspired by flavors from his deployments. With Mediterranean dishes, Peruvian influence, and the California burritos he loved while stationed on the West Coast. But the timing was tough. He lived 45 minutes from town, his high-mileage truck was wearing out, and he was preparing to leave a stable job. Taking on a car payment while launching a business felt risky, especially with the physical challenges of loading heavy equipment as a bilateral amputee. That changed when Freedom Mobility Foundation provided him with a 2019 Chevy Silverado equipped with hand controls and an ANT lift. The truck itself was donated by an individual, something Matt does not take lightly. “Every time I get in that truck, it’s a reminder there are people out there who appreciate what our service members have done,” he said.

The first time the impact hit him was simple. It was when he was loading the 275-pound generator for his food truck. Before, it was nearly impossible. Dangerous for his prosthetics, hard on his wife and kids, and required intense strain. With the ANT lift, it took about 60 seconds. “It just went right into the back,” he laughed. “I thought,‘That’s way too easy.’” The lift also transformed his hunting hobby, allowing him to load game safely without rigging pulleys or dragging animals by hand.

The truck brought financial freedom too. Not having a car payment lets him invest directly into his passion and his business. Another plus is better fuel efficiency which is around 20 miles per gallon compared to his old “gas hog”. This saves him even more, especially with long ruraldrives. In eight months, he’s already put around 15,000 miles on the truck.“Every day,” he said. “I use it every single day.”

For his family, the impact is just as meaningful “It’s saved backs for sure,” he said, explaining that his wife and kids no longer have to lift heavy items or strain to help him manage equipment. The lift removed a literal and emotional weight from their shoulders.

When Matt talks about Freedom Mobility and its donors, he’s thoughtful. He’s seen countless veteran organizations, but only trusts a select few. “There are a lot of organizations that don’t do it for the right reasons,” he said. “I can count on one hand the ones I associate with.” Freedom Mobility Foundation, he says, is firmly in that small group . They are responsible with donor dollars, focused on people rather than advertising, and committed to doing things the right way.

From the beneficiary side, he calls the truck “an incredible gift that’s not taken lightly.” It’s humbling to him that someone gave so generously, not just to him but to the other wounded warriors he recovered alongside.“The guys who’ve benefited from Freedom Mobility are top-notch,” he said. “Better than me, for sure.”

More than anything, this gift connects back to the reason he served. Matt enlisted after 9/11, driven by a desire to defend the ideals he believed America stood for. During deployments, those ideals shift to the Marines beside you, the job, the mission, and survival. But after his injury, he began to see the good in people again. “You get to see what you were fighting for,” he said. “People with giving hearts.”

To Matt, that’s the real impact of this truck. It’s freedom. It’s independence. It’s a daily reminder that good people still exist, doing good for the right reasons.

His message is simple. “I’m humbled, and I’m grateful.”