"Brandon! What are you doing here?"

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Those words, and a large smile, were what greeted a wounded veteran from Pennsylvania as country music star Toby Keith presented him with a new way to get around.

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Retired Cpl. Brandon Rumbaugh, a native of Dunbar, Pennsylvania, who now lives in Pittsburgh, was with the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines in Afghanistan when he was injured, according to WPXI-TV. He was carrying a fellow wounded Marine to safety when he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED), resulting in the loss of both of his legs.

Rumbaugh earned a Navy Commendation Medal with a V for Valor.

The Independence Fund and Keith presented Rumbaugh with a new tracked, all-terrain wheelchair to help him get around. They treated Rumbaugh to a special meet-and-greet, and he was able to enjoy the country concert with backstage passes at Highmark Stadium.

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Students line up after school for school buses at Sequoyah Middle School in Doraville on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. The school’s principal told teachers not to talk to students about ICE, and teachers and activists are pushing back. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

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