Army Spc. Michael Monthervil rolled up to Kansas Speedway this week and rolled away with something that will change his daily life: the keys to a brand-new, custom-converted wheelchair-accessible van. The presentation came ahead of the Hollywood Casino 400, tying a veteran's mobility milestone to the roar of NASCAR engines in a ceremony organized by Homes For Our Troops.
Monthervil received a customized Toyota Sienna BraunAbility van, awarded by Homes For Our Troops as part of the organization's Rebuilding Lives Through Mobility campaign, according to KCTV. He is the third of six severely injured post-9/11 veterans selected to receive an accessible vehicle during the 2026 NASCAR season, per the same report. The nationwide campaign is a collaborative partnership among Toyota Racing, BraunAbility and TRICON Garage, and organizers say the van will give Monthervil greater independence and barrier-free mobility.
Monthervil was injured on July 28, 2014, during a training exercise with the 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan, suffering severe spinal cord damage from a fall that cost him the use of his legs, according to Homes For Our Troops. He was medically evacuated to Landstuhl, Germany, before undergoing rehabilitation at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland and later at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital in Tampa, Florida.
A Kansas Speedway Ceremony Rooted in Family Philanthropy
The Rebuilding Lives Through Mobility campaign launched on August 25, funded by a $1 million gift from philanthropists Johnny and Terry Gray, according to GlobeNewswire. The Grays' grandsons, Taylor Gray and Tanner Gray, both serve as NASCAR drivers representing the initiative. The Johnny and Terry Gray Surgical Institute is at Jupiter Medical Center. Homes For Our Troops describes the couple as longtime supporters of nationwide programs dedicated to veterans, children and healthcare expansion.
TRICON Garage driver Tanner Gray piloted the Homes For Our Troops-branded No. 15 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Kansas Speedway and Phoenix Raceway to raise national visibility for the veteran mobility initiative, Jayski reports. His brother, Taylor Gray, also represents the charity while driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, according to the same outlet. The campaign schedule included a Daytona International Speedway presentation in August.
The High Cost of Closing the Mobility Gap
A Toyota Sienna Hybrid with a BraunAbility wheelchair conversion can include features such as power foldout ramps, lowered floors and kneeling systems, according to BraunAbility. Federal support helps but doesn't close that gap on its own: the VA Automobile Allowance provides a one-time grant of up to $27,074.99 directly to vehicle sellers for eligible service-disabled veterans, per VeteransDMV.
This is not the first time Homes For Our Troops has stepped in to help Monthervil. In January 2022, the nonprofit held a community kickoff for a planned home in San Antonio, Florida, according to Saint Leo University. The planned home was to be specially adapted.
Life Beyond the Injury
Homes For Our Troops was founded in 2004 and has since constructed more than 440 specially adapted custom homes nationwide, directing nearly 90 cents of every donated dollar into veteran program services, per Hoodline's prior coverage of the organization's work in Pasco County. The nonprofit operates without direct government funding, relying instead on donors like the Grays to bridge gaps that federal programs cannot fully cover. For veterans seeking housing help specifically, the VA's Specially Adapted Housing grant program offers up to $126,526 for fiscal year 2026 to help severely disabled veterans build, purchase or modify accessible homes, according to a Hoodline report citing the Federal Register.
Life Beyond the Injury Monthervil’s custom van is intended to support his mobility and independence, more than a decade after his training injury in Afghanistan.
