veterans day disabled veteran testimony

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In 1995, Centra “CeCe” Mazyck realized she wanted more out of life and joined the U.S Army Reserve, which was not surprising since the military literally runs in her veins – her mom, uncles and grandfather all served in the military too.

 

Two years later CeCe went on active duty and was assigned to the 82^nd Airborne Division – where at one point the training got so tough she briefly thought about quitting.

 

 

But that all changed when she watched “G.I. Jane,” which reminded her why she wanted to do all of this in the first place and the next day was jumping out of an airplane.

 

Six years later her Army career took a turn when a routine jump turned tragic when the wind took her parachute and entangled her with another jumper causing them to crash land. She woke up paralyzed from the waist down and doctors told her she would never walk again. But they didn’t know about her secret weapon and inspiration – her then infant son.

 

With her son inspiring her to keep going and, with support from Disabled American Veterans (DAV), she was able to push herself and now even walks with the help of forearm crutches. A retired Army Sergeant First Class, CeCe has completed her education and is a fierce competitor in the Paralympics as a javelin thrower – winning the bronze in 2012.

 

Veterans like CeCe are exactly the reason that TrueCar started DrivenToDrive, a program dedicated to helping the men and women of our military who have lost the privilege and freedom of driving in the service of our country. They fought for our freedom, and TrueCar is committed to helping them get back behind the wheel, so they may regain theirs.

 

This year, TrueCar is partnering with AutoNation and DAV to amplify DrivenToDrive, a program fueled by the employees at the company and their eagerness for impactful service, and to support veterans. They believe that cars represent freedom and independence, and that driving is a privilege easily taken for granted.

 

I had the honor of speaking with Ce-Ce to share more about her life before, during, and after the military, and how she triumphed over adversity. Take a look.

veterans day disabled veteran testimony