Los Angeles Veteran Receives Harley to Replace Stolen Bike
Some people have strange ways for thanking our veterans for their services, like stealing their motorcycles; but don't worry, the story has a very happy ending.
1. Ernesto Olivares
Ernesto Olivares is a fighting Marine who served his country for eight solid years before returning back to civilian life. He's gone on two war tours, with the last one seeing him being sent off to Afghanistan. Olivares sacrificed a lot while serving the military to keep our country safe like missing the birth of his first child. He was recently retired, but when he came home he was greeted by the disappointing news that his beloved motorcycle had been stolen.
2. The Disappointment
It takes a great amount of courage to sign up and fight for your country in times of conflict. While Americans went about their business in the USA, Ernesto was under the brutal heat of Afghanistan, risking his life to give everybody back home the freedoms they enjoy. After nine years, Ernesto came home to enjoy some hard-earned freedom of his own, but his Harley-Davidson had been stolen. He only owned his motorcycle for a few months before it was taken away from him unceremoniously.
3. Mission "Thank You"
Adam Sandoval, the founder of ScootinAmerica, got together with Harley-Davidson to launch mission "Thank You." The goal of this project is to simply give back to the military members as a sign of gratitude for their extreme sacrifices. Harley-Davidson made a statement regarding mission "Thank You," explaining that every American should experience the freedom that comes with riding a motorcycle, especially the ones that risk their lives to give others freedom.
4. Adam Sandoval
Adam Sandoval is on a two-year road trip with his motorcycle and his dog Scooter to raise money for mission "Thank You." Adam asks American to nominate friends, family, or anyone they know, as long as they are current or past members of the military. He will make eight stops, giving away eight Harley-Davidson motorcycles to veterans. The nominees will get chosen with the help of a panel that includes members from Wounded Warrior Project, veteran Harley-Davidson employees, as well as Adam Sandoval.
Nominate a veteran for mission "Thank You" HERE.
5. Giving Back to Ernesto Olivares
Shortly after Ernesto Olivares came back from the war, he had to deal with the disappointment of losing his motorcycle. Adam Sandoval, Harley-Davidson, as well as the Wounded Warrior Project, was fortunate enough to hand Ernesto the keys to a brand-new 2017 Harley-Davidson Streetglide Special. The giveaway came as a surprise to Ernesto, and his reaction was simply priceless. During his visit to Top Rocker Harley-Davidson, and in a heart-warming gathering, Olivares was visibly emotional and in overjoyed disbelief when he was handed the keys to his new motorcycle as a thank you for his service. Ernesto was barely able to say a few words, as he was overcome with a bevy of feelings.
Watch the emotional video HERE.
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