Purple Heart recipient receives life-changing gift

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - A Purple Heart recipient in the Tri-State received a life-changing gift Wednesday.

Retired Staff Sgt. Paul Brondhaver, a Purple Heart recipient, does not ask for attention, but on Wednesday, all eyes were on him.

He has spent years adjusting to life after being severely wounded by 300 pieces of shrapnel in Iraq in 2004.

To help him, Freedom Alliance, a public charity that supports wounded troops, and U.S. Bank partnered to gift him a new vehicle.

The vehicle will make Brondhaver’s everyday life easier at no cost to him.

“This vehicle is going to help Staff Sgt. Paul Brondhaver get to his medical appointments, get to his rehab appointments, and reduce the anxiety of having to go out in the morning and wonder if his car is going to start or not,” explained Freedom Alliance president Tom Kilgannon.

Brondhaver said the moment he saw the car, it was very moving and meant a lot to him.

Brondhaver’s service goes beyond the military.

Over the years, he has worked as a teacher, spoken at charitable events, and deployed for multiple natural disasters.

When asked how he stays so humble in moments like Wednesday, he said:

“I would say it was the way I was raised. I’ve always had a good heart, and I was always grateful for everything. I always wanted those to have something better than me.”

Brondhaver now lives in Independence, where he cares for his 80-year-old mother and enjoys time with his three grown children.

His courage and resilience continue to inspire those who know his story.

“His life was one of service,” said Kilgannon. “He wanted to serve. He wanted to help others.”

The Freedom Alliance has given nearly 100 military families and veterans vehicles since the initiative began in 2018.

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