INDYCAR No. 48 Legion driver Jimmie Johnson presented Marine veteran Barry Morgan with a 2019 Honda Civic to provide transportation to work, VA appointments, family far away and more.
Barry Morgan’s truck had been a source of transportation and protection for him. It helped him move from a difficult situation in New Jersey to Florida where a daughter lives; it was where he slept until he found temporary housing through St. Vincent de Paul CARES in Tampa; and it enabled him to get a job and see family. But when the engine went out, and the cost to repair it was above what he could afford, Morgan turned to his St. Vincent de Paul CARES Case Manager Lois Cato for help. As a U.S. Marine veteran, Morgan asked if there was a program that helped veterans repair their vehicles.
It just so happens that Cato had submitted his name for a chance to win a new car through The American Legion and Carvana as part of the Legion’s partnership with INDYCAR.
On Aug. 18, Cato drove Morgan to a Carvana Vending Machine location in Tampa under the ploy that he was receiving an American Legion membership, and for a meet and greet with No. 48 Carvana/American Legion Honda INDYCAR driver Jimmie Johnson and Department of Florida Legionnaires. Morgan knew Cato submitted his name for the chance to win a car but thought he would be there with other name submissions for a drawing.
He had no idea he was chosen until a 2019 electric blue Honda Civic was lowered and the machine’s platform rotated in front of Morgan with a huge sign on the windshield that read in part, “WINNER Barry Morgan!”
“Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God, thank you,” said Morgan in reaction to his new car. “The Marines don’t cry, but I do. Thank you, guys, so much. God Bless you.
“I’ve never received anything like this. Everything in New Jersey was rock bottom. As soon as I got to Florida things started falling in order and everything started lining up. It’s an amazing program that St. Vincent de Paul CARE has. And now what The American Legion, Carvana, Jimmie Johnson has done for me.”
When Cato received a call from American Legion service officer and Department of Florida Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Chairman Alan Cohen about identifying a veteran in need of a car, she put his name in “because he has been a very positive guy” even after losing his job to a downsize. “He desires to go back to work, but the hindrance was being able to get to work without a vehicle.”
Morgan’s new car is life changing.
“I was almost in tears myself (seeing the new car) because as his case manager, I was assigned to him back in February, I know his story, I know what he’s been through,” said Cato, who as a case manager for St. Vincent de Paul CARE sets up hotel arrangements for homeless veterans that meet a certain criteria, as well as find long-term housing for them and a means to make income to sustain themselves. “He is actually a success story for me in more than one way because he also was able to get (an apartment) quickly in three weeks. He has been blessed in so many ways, from sleeping in his truck, to putting him in a hotel, to helping him get housing, and him getting a job. I told him to stay positive, it’s time for your life to change. Miracles are just going to fall in place for you now. He is seeing so much that is happening for him now.”
After he was presented with his new car, Morgan took Johnson for a ride. “We kept it under 80 (mph),” Morgan jokingly said.
Johnson told The American Legion that being a part of the car giveaway was “a huge honor for me. It’s great to see this collaboration come together with The American Legion and Carvana – the two sponsors I have on my racing program. I have two grandfathers who served, so the armed forces are close to my heart. It’s been great to represent The American Legion through this season and last season in racing. To see all of this come together and give away a car through Carvana’s generosity change someone’s life today is very important.
“I’ve never seen such a heartfelt and emotional response from someone like I saw on his face when he realized he had won the car. It truly came from the heart. To meet Barry, to see how much this means to him, it’s the most incredible thing.”
As promised, Morgan was presented a membership to American Legion Post 5 in Tampa. There to present it was Cohen, who let Morgan know that “he has an organization that will advocate for him and support him any way we can.” Cohen drove four hours to Tampa to be present for the car giveaway because “I would not have missed that for anything. Here is a guy who had his difficulties, whatever they were, and through it all has been determined to rejoin society, be a productive member of society, be able to spend time with his family, be able to work and make a contribution to the community and improve his way of life.
“And I have to tell you that as a service officer I do a lot of things that are very personally fulfilling. This surpassed anything that I’ve ever done. It was overwhelming for me to be part of something that noticeably had a profound effect on the life of a veteran. It had as much of an effect on me in my way as it did on him and his. It’s just a great story.”
Morgan will be attending Post 5’s general meeting early next month with his new transportation that will help him get to VA appointments and much more.
“I’ll get to visit my daughter and granddaughter, Ava, up in New Jersey and be able to do my laundry at the laundromat,” Morgan said. “I’ll help other veterans in the neighborhood out with rides if I can. I love helping people out. I’ve always been like that. I go out of my way to help people. That’s how I’ve always been.
“This is definitely a blessing and wonderful. I am just so thankful for everything that’s happened with St. Vincent de Paul CARE, Lois, Carvana, The American Legion, Post 5, Jimmie Johnson … and all the support that I got. It’s amazing.”
The new car also will keep him in connected with Cato. “For me it’s overwhelming that a simple phone call, and putting his name out there, you know was able to reap what it did for him,” Cato said. “I am thankful that I was an instrument in which to get that to him. He is forever loyal to The American Legion. He will be a loyal member.”
For Johnson, it’s another great example of how his two sponsors – Carvana and The American Legion – are improving people’s lives.
“Thank you to Carvana for making this happen and The American Legion and their support of service men and women,” Johnson said. “To have a service member come in, he was in need, a great human and things were stacked against him. He just needs some help to get out of this situation he is in. I think we surprised him a bit with how many people were here and he wasn’t sure what he was walking into, but to see his reaction and how much this will impact his life, everybody here felt it.
“It’s an honor to be a part of it and I’m so thankful to have such amazing partners.”
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