Nexen Tire USA has selected retired Army Master Sgt. Brian Porter as the recipient of the Nexen Hero 2020 Jeep Gladiator Sport S as part of the Nexen Hero program.

Porter is the second Purple Heart Medal recipient to receive a custom vehicle built by Nexen Tire as part of its initiative to honor the nation's heroes. In last year's program, a 2018 Dodge Challenger R/T was presented to Purple Heart Medal recipient and retired Marine Cpl. Steven Diaz.

"It's an unbelievable honor to be selected by Nexen Tire and the Purple Heart Foundation as the recipient of the Nexen Tire Jeep Gladiator. To me, this custom Jeep is more than just a cool vehicle -- it's a symbol that helps bring awareness to the thousands of combat-wounded veterans across the nation," said retired Master Sgt. Brian Porter. "Like me, these brave veterans have suffered unbelievable injuries on the battlefield, and it's humbling to see organizations like Nexen step up and join the Purple Heart Foundation to help share our stories to help improve the lives of wounded veterans."

John Hagan, executive vice president of sales for Nexen Tire America Inc. explained the importance of honoring America's wounded veterans. "Brian's story exemplifies what the Nexen Hero program is all about – courage, sacrifice and bravery in the face of insurmountable odds. The entire Nexen organization is in awe of these veterans' stories and it was a privilege to hear Brian's story during the evaluation process," said John Hagan, executive vice president of sales for Nexen Tire America Inc. "His narrative of heroism and valor truly demonstrates the traits of a Nexen Hero."

As partners of a second vehicle giveaway, the proud representatives of the Purple Heart Foundation were an integral part of the Nexen Hero program. "Working with Nexen Tire has helped raise tremendous awareness for courageous individuals like Brian Porter who have fought for our country and deserve to be recognized for their sacrifices," said Stephen Ruckman, chief executive officer for The Purple Heart Foundation. "Brian served our country for nearly three decades and even though he deals with the effects of his battlefield wounds on a daily basis, he continues to work for the U.S. Army as a civilian, representing the unwavering commitment of our Purple Heart veterans to the nation."

As part of the Nexen Hero Gladiator Build, Nexen Tire once again partnered with several leading automotive aftermarket companies in the industry to help transform the Jeep Gladiator into a vehicle fit for a Purple Heart recipient. Nexen enlisted the help of famous customizer Kenny Pfitzer of Zero to 60 Designs for a second time to spearhead the build of the unique vehicle which features 35-inch Nexen Roadian MTX Xtreme off-road tires.

Tagged: Army Master Sgt. Brian Porter

Nexen Tire, Purple Heart recognizes 2019 Nexen Hero Program awardee