NEW YORK, April 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2012, Sgt.
Joe Mille lost his right leg to a
roadside bomb during the final month of his deployment to
South Kandahar, Afghanistan, where
he was a rifleman and team leader for the Army. But he hasn't let
the injury keep him down. After enduring a rigorous, 15-month stint
of rehab, the Sitka, Alaska,
native reenlisted for another six-year term.
Since his injury, Mille has already served as a competition
shooter and instructor at the Fort
Benning, Ga., Army base; served as a sniper team leader at
Fort Drum, in New York; and deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He's now an infantry squad leader
at Fort Drum, and pursuing a
degree in counterterrorism studies.
"I plan to make the best out of my time in the Army and look
forward to a long and fruitful career," said the 25-year-old, who
is married with two children.
On Saturday, April 15, Toyota and
the New York International Auto Show joined forces to celebrate and
honor Mille with the donation of a specially customized 2017 Toyota
RAV4 Hybrid. New York Gov.
Andrew Cuomo presented Mille with
his new keys during the auto show's opening ceremony at the Jacob
K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.
"Throughout his multiple tours of duty, and even after serious
injury, Sgt. Mille has inspired Toyota with his commitment, courage
and dignity," said Kevin Curran,
assistant general manager for Toyota's New York sales region. "We thank him for his
sacrifices and service for others."
The Bussani Mobility Team of Mamaroneck, N.Y., outfitted Mille's new ride
with a gas pedal that can be used with a left foot.
"The New York Auto Show salutes Sgt. Mille for his years of
unwavering service and dedication," said New York auto show chairman John LaSorsa. "We're proud to partner with our
friends at Toyota who have generously donated this vehicle to honor
Sgt. Mille."
The 2017 RAV4 Hybrid continues to build upon the model's 21-year
reputation for comfort, style and performance while offering a bevy
of standard-issue safety technologies. The 2017 model is equipped
with standard Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P), a new multi-feature
advanced safety package that bundles Pre-Collision System with
Pedestrian Detection function featuring forward collision warning
and Automatic Emergency Braking; Lane Departure Alert with Steering
Assist function; Automatic High Beams; and Full-Speed Range Dynamic
Radar Cruise Control.
The most powerful and fuel-efficient RAV4 in the model's
history, the 2017 RAV4 Hybrid achieves an EPA-estimated 34 mpg
city/30 mpg highway/32 mpg combined and comes equipped with an
Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel-Drive System with intelligence
(AWD-i) as standard.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius
and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to advancing mobility
through our Toyota and Lexus brands. Over the past 60 years,
we've produced more than 30 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14
manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than
44,000 people (more than 34,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North
American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold almost 2.6
million cars and trucks (2.45 million in the U.S.) in 2016 – and
about 85 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 15 years
are still on the road today.
Toyota partners with community, civic, academic, and
governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing
mobility challenges. We share company resources and extensive
know-how to support non-profits to help expand their ability to
assist more people move more places. For more information about
Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
Media Contacts:
Corey
Proffitt, East Coast Communications Manager, Toyota Motor
North America
917-817-7085, corey.proffitt@toyota.com
John Tucker, Jackson Spalding for Toyota
917-576-2813, jtucker@jacksonspalding.com
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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America