What: Freedom Alliance and U.S. Bank, in partnership with the San Diego Padres, will present a wounded veteran with the gift of a new, payment-free car in honor of his courageous service to our country.
When: Tuesday, July 29, 2025, 10:30 a.m. PT
Where: Gallagher Square at Petco Park, 100 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101
Who: Cpl Carlos Torres, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was severely wounded in Afghanistan, is our guest of honor and new vehicle recipient. Carlos was born in Morelos, Mexico, and moved to Los Angeles at age two. Motivated by the events of 9/11, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2007, training as an Infantry Assaultman. He served with the 1st Tank Battalion, earning multiple meritorious promotions and deploying to Romania and Afghanistan. In 2011, while on patrol in Afghanistan, Carlos stepped on an IED, resulting in the loss of both legs below the knee, a fused elbow, traumatic brain injury, and hearing loss. He medically retired in 2013 and was honored as “Marine of the Year” for the 1st Marine Division.
Since retirement, Carlos has remained active and adventurous. He has handcycled in major marathons, summited the highest volcano in the world, and biked across South America. He earned a master’s degree in Homeland Security and is a Purple Heart recipient. Carlos met his wife, Amber, while scuba diving in Cozumel; they married in 2023 and live in El Cajon, California.
“Carlos Torres represents the very best of America—service, sacrifice, and resilience. At Freedom Alliance, we are honored to support heroes like Carlos as they continue to pursue their passions and live life to the fullest,” Freedom Alliance President Tom Kilgannon said. “This donation is a small token of our gratitude for his courage and commitment to our country, and we are grateful to U.S. Bank and the Padres for helping make this gift possible.”
Why: Freedom Alliance and U.S. Bank are both committed to honoring service members for their dedication and personal sacrifice. In addition to partnering with military service organizations such as Freedom Alliance, U.S. Bank supports veterans and military family members through Proud to Serve, an employeeled business resource group. Through Proud to Serve, each new veteran is personally welcomed by leaders who are also veterans. Employees are also encouraged to use internal social networking forums to connect, network, and share stories. The bank employs more than 1,700 veterans, including National Guard and Reserve members. This will be U.S. Bank’s 93 rd payment free vehicle donation since 2018 and the 59 th in partnership with Freedom Alliance.
About Freedom Alliance: Freedom Alliance is a charitable organization providing help and support to wounded troops and military families. Freedom Alliance has awarded more than $30 million in college scholarships to children of heroes killed or disabled in military service and spent millions more helping injured veterans and their families with outdoor therapy trips, Heroes Retreats, care packages, mortgage-free homes, all-terrain chairs and more. Learn more about Freedom Alliance at FreedomAlliance.org or facebook.com/FreedomAlliance.
About U.S. Bank: U.S. Bancorp, with approximately 70,000 employees and $686 billion in assets as of June 30, 2025, is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company serves millions of customers locally, nationally and globally through a diversified mix of businesses including consumer banking, business banking, commercial banking, institutional banking, payments and wealth management. U.S. Bancorp has been recognized for its approach to digital innovation, community partnerships and customer service, including being named one of the 2025 World’s Most Ethical Companies and one of Fortune’s most admired superregional banks. Learn more at usbank.com/about.
