Jay Leno->ke3731 is an accomplished comedian and an avid car enthusiast. But neither of those things compare to his character, which was on full display recently when he turned the keys of a brand new Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat over to a wounded U.S. Army corporal.

Leno teamed up with Al Roker’s Shine A Light campaign, which raises money for the United Service Organizations (USO), to seek out a military serviceman or servicewoman and give them a special gift. It wouldn’t just be any kind of special gift, either, at least not the type of gifts these brave soldiers are accustomed to receiving. In Leno’s own words, he wanted to give “something fun.”

From a pool of wounded warriors, Leno picked out the winner: Cpl. Ethan Leberge, who was badly wounded during a recent tour in Afghanistan when a suicide bomber detonated himself, instantly killing his two companions and seriously injuring him in the process. Leberge has since undergone countless surgeries, and there’s no telling whether he’ll ever be fully recovered from the attack.

Leberge emerged as the perfect recipient of Leno’s generosity. Like Jay, he has an unabashed love for performance cars, even letting out a mild yelp when the Challenger SRT Hellcat first appeared in front of him. The two went out for a nice joy ride on the Challenger SRT Hellcat and then enjoyed a hearty lunch together. As soon as their bro-date was up, Leno threw the keys to a stunned Leberge, telling him that the car was his.

It’s a perfect story to kick off Thanksgiving week and a good reminder that Leno’s heart is always in the right place when it comes to our beloved servicemen and servicewomen.

Well done, Jay!

Click past the jump to see the video.

Why it matters

Jay Leno has always been a huge supporter of the U.S. military. He’s raised money for its cause and he’s been on numerous trips to military stations all over the world. But you have to give it to him for coming up with a neat way to marry his support for the military with his unbridled passion for cars.

Giving Cpl. Ethan Leberge a brand-new Dodge Challenger Hellcat is a pretty awesome gift for a young man who deserves the entire country’s gratitude. The car is only a small token of appreciation relative to what Leberge has gone through in the name of defending our country, but Leno’s gesture still resonates on a deeper and personal level.

It shows that people don’t forget about the sacrifices our U.S. servicemen and servicewomen go through to protect our freedom. We don’t necessarily have a car to give out, but we do share Jay Leno’s admiration for everyone who risks their lives for all of us.

Hopefully, Cpl. Leberge enjoys his new ride, even if he does get a few tickets in the process. After everything he’s been through, we think we can afford to let him off on a few warnings, right?

Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat

The 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is quickly coming up the ranks as one of the year’s best automotive releases, a feat made more impressive considering that this 707-horsepower muscle-bound machine of mayhem only made its debut in July 2014.

But praise and adulation are two things you get when you tout performance numbers no other factory-built muscle car has ever claimed. That’s exactly what the Challenger Hellcat has under its belly: a supercharged, 6.2-liter, HEMI V-8 that produces 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque.

The Challenger Hellcat is so bonkers it can cover a quarter-mile in just 11.2 seconds using standard Pirelli P-Zero tires. Replace those Pirellis with drag radials and that number falls to 10.8 seconds. Insane.

If anybody had questions on who rules the roost in the pony car segment today, any answer that’s not the Challenger SRT Hellcat would be the wrong one.

The Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat retails for $59,995, gas-guzzler tax included.