Presentation of the NABC Recycled Ride® to Change an Illinois Father’s Life was September 11, 2025
MEDIA NOTE: Photos and Video from the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation are available HERE
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (September 18, 2025) – On Thursday, September 11, a United States Marine Corps veteran from Illinois received a life-changing gift—the donation of a beautifully refurbished vehicle that will help as he cares for his three children. The donation was made possible by the NABC Recycled Rides® program, vehicle donor GEICO and repair partner Crash Champions.
The presentation took place on the 24th anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, at the Crash Champions location in Oak Forest, IL. The recipient was nominated by Warriors SOAR. Warriors SOAR is a non-profit organization aimed to assist in the healing and reintegration of wounded veterans through Support, Outreach, Assistance and Recovery. Wounded veteran reintegration is the process of helping injured or disabled veterans return to civilian life after serving in the military.
“Many thanks to NABC, GEICO, Crash Champions and all the partner organizations that worked diligently to deliver a vehicle to a wounded military veteran in need,” said Marty Sloan, Executive Director, Warriors SOAR. “William Sutton, a medically retired United States Marine, dedicated his time and talent to serve our country and was deployed overseas to fulfill his military mission. We appreciate all the personnel who gave their time, talent and mechanical expertise to make a very positive impact in the life of a wounded military veteran.”
William Sutton is a retired Corporal of the United States Marine Corps and served as a machine gunner from 2006 to 2013. He was motivated to join the Marines following the September 11, 2001, attacks on America as soon as he finished high school. Sutton’s family has a history serving the country dating back to the Civil War and he knew it was his time to carry on the tradition and defend the nation after watching the events of 9/11. He was wounded on Thanksgiving Day 2010 after being shot multiple times and pulled away from his machine gun. In August of 2013, Sutton was medically retired from the Marine Corps. He is a father of three children and works full-time for the Dekalb Veterans Association, serving fellow wounded military veterans. Sutton does not have a means of transportation and must borrow a vehicle to travel. This refurbished vehicle from NABC Recycled Rides® will allow him to get to his doctor’s appointments and transport his children to their school activities.
GEICO, a Level One partner of the National Auto Body Council®, has donated more than a thousand vehicles to people and organizations through NABC Recycled Rides, making it the largest car donor partner of NABC Recycled Rides.
Crash Champions, a Level One partner of the National Auto Body Council®, has gifted more than 250 vehicles to people and organizations through NABC Recycled Rides.
NABC Recycled Rides® is a unique program in which businesses representing all facets of the collision repair industry team up to repair and donate vehicles to individuals and families in need of reliable transportation. Since the inception of the NABC Recycled Rides® program in 2007, members of the National Auto Body Council® have donated more than 3,500 vehicles valued at some $51 million.
Additional partners in this presentation include Hawk Mazda, LKQ, ATE, Delta Sonic, Copart, Enterprise, Advanced Remarketing Services, Cars for Charity
ABOUT THE NATIONAL AUTO BODY COUNCIL®
The National Auto Body Council® is the premier organization of collision industry partners dedicated to strategic networking opportunities that positively change lives in the communities we serve. The collaborative membership of the National Auto Body Council® has gifted more than 3,500 vehicles and provided extrication opportunities for some 6,000 First Responders in communities around the country through NABC Recycled Rides® and NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™). That effort equates to a 4:1 ROI in dollar value delivered from NABC® membership dollars.
The NABC Changing and Saving Lives Foundation, a 501c3 organization, is committed to the goal of driving change for veterans, military members, first responders and families in need, while harnessing the power of the collective membership of the collision repair industry to positively impact communities where we live and work. As demand for NABC® programs like NABC Recycled Rides® and NABC F.R.E.E.™ grows, so do the needs for resources to manage these important programs. Being able to pursue grants, gifts and donations allows NABC to expand these programs to serve those in need and help communities where we live and work. For more information, visit www.NationalautoBodyCouncil.org.