MANITOWOC, Wis. (WFRV) - Navy and law enforcement veteran Tom Traurig and his wife Linda are thanking the community for all their support after he suffered a spinal cord injury in April of 2023. While veterans' benefits have secured his home care, the couple needed money to purchase a wheelchair- accessible van so he could get to specialists at the VA in Milwaukee more frequently than a ride service program could provide. Hometown Hero Alicia Grube of Appleton handled classified information in the DMZ The Patriot Riders of Wisconsin Chapter 2 committed all the money from their annual chili competition. The community responded in a way the non-profit group has never seen before. Tom fell at home April, 2023Patriot Riders announced more donationsTom served in the Navy and then Manitowoc Police Dept.Couple at home, April, 2025 The Traurigs were able to purchase a van, which is currently being transformed to accommodate his wheelchair and allow him to ride alongside his wife instead of having to sit in the back. "I'm either gonna be walking by the end of this year or the beginning of next year," Traurig said in a recent interview with Local 5 News. "So many wonderful people have come into our lives since this happened and I can't thank them enough." Hometown Heroes: Vietnam War Veterans Day is March 29, celebrating dedication and sacrifice According to the chapter's co-founder, Jenny Matte, the event raised $9,000. Thanks to an anonymous donor, the Patriot Riders were able to match that. Then, the VA, which initially said it could only pay for half of the van's conversion, said it would cover all the work to get it ready. But that's not all. "Besides everyone coming in to try the chilis, we received many checks and phone calls after the event," said Matte. "Just this past week, more donations have come in." Click here for more Hometown Heroes stories The group will be handing over an additional $1,098 to the Traurigs. "It's just a breath of fresh air," said wife Linda. "After this tragedy that happened to him, it's giving us some light. He's going to walk again." ...read more read less