Veteran Surprised with All-Terrain Wheelchair for Sports, Hunting, Fishing: ‘He Deserves It’

A veteran in Madison, Wisconsin, who fought in the Gulf War received a gift Tuesday that will bring him more freedom and enjoyment.

The Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) and Property Loss Specialist (PLS) gave U.S. Army veteran Ervin Mulkey an all-terrain wheelchair called the Action Trackchair, WMTV reported.

According to its website, the chair was made from tough material, enabling users to participate in outdoor activities such as adaptive sports, hunting, and fishing.

“So, whether you’re exploring the great outdoors or just getting around your neighborhood, the Action Trackchair is up for any challenge,” the site read.

President of PLS Jeff Nachreiner said he wanted to help after seeing someone else presented with a similar chair years ago.

Nachreiner also noted that because veterans gave their all, it was a small thing to do for them in return.

A photo showed the veteran enjoying the chair and social media users expressed their joy regarding the gift:

“He deserves it,” one person wrote, while another called it “Fantastic news.”

Mulkey, who is paralyzed from his waist down, explained that his disease was progressive but the wheelchair made a huge difference.

“More freedom, more freedom, more freedom- you know being able to go places that I wasn’t able to go to,” he explained.

“I served during Desert Storm—I went in actually in ‘87 right out of graduation. I was hurt during Desert Storm and I was actually paralyzed for 13 months—from the waist down. Luckily, I was able to get some function back in my right leg but was still in a wheelchair,” he added.

According to the PVA’s Wisconsin chapter website, the organization’s mission was to improve quality of life for the nation’s veterans and others suffering from a spinal cord injury or disease.

Mulkey was grateful for the gift and the fact the chair is tough enough for all weather conditions and even has a place to charge a phone for safety reasons.

The veteran’s first venture would be accomplishing something he had long dreamed of doing.

“I want to go up the hill next to my house,” Mulkey explained. “I have looked up that hill for the last nine years that I lived there, and I never been able to go up it and you know without help or something like that.”