Country Star Helps Return Fallen Soldier’s Truck To His Family

Fox & Friends

In 2006, Major Troy Gilbert was killed when his F-16C Fighting Falcon crashed in Iraq. Gilbert left behind a wife and five children. After he died, his body was taken by terrorists.

Just before his deployment, Gilbert sold his 1992 Chevy Silverado 1500, a truck that had been owned by three generations of his family. But, with the help of country singer Lee Brice and the Folds of Honor Foundation, the truck was found, restored, and returned to his family 10 years after his death.

The emotional moment was captured live on Fox & Friends on Memorial Day. Major Dan Rooney, founder of the Folds of Honor Foundation — which provides educational scholarships to families of the fallen — was joined by Lee Brice and the two presented the truck to Gilbert’s widow, Ginger, and his teenage sons.

Brice’s hit song “I Drive Your Truck” was the inspiration behind finding the truck and returning it to the family. Brice was approached last year by Ginger who told him that his song meant a lot to her because her husband was forced to sell his truck before his final deployment.

YouTube video

Brice shares that the conversation caused an idea to form in Brice’s mind.

“The connection to ‘I Drive Your Truck’ just lit a little spark in our minds to take this truck, to find it and bring it back into this family,” Brice said. “I didn’t know how to do that, but we found a bunch of folks that would help and dig in. I’m just literally a blessed bystander to be able to be a part of a story.”

Brice and Rooney then presented the truck to Gilbert’s family who was overcome with emotion at the sight of the polished, maroon Chevy that boasted Gilbert’s squadron on the front and his silhouette on the back.

“It’s his legacy,” Rooney said of Gilbert’s truck. “And these guys are going to be able to have a piece of Troy.”

After Brice helped reunite the family with Gilbert’s truck, he sang at Gilbert’s funeral. Watch the footage below.

Watch the emotional reunion below.

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