( CNN ) -- Jay Leno and Cpl . Ethan Laberge do n't have much in common . One is best known as a comedian and the former host of `` The Tonight Show , '' while the other is recovering from serious injuries he sustained while serving in Afghanistan . But there is one thing these two share , and that 's a love of cars . So to say thank you to Cpl . Laberge for his service , Leno decided to gift the soldier with something that he knew he would enjoy : a brand new Dodge Hellcat . Leno and Laberge met through Leno 's USO comedy tour with the `` Today '' show 's Al Roker . `` When I travel to entertain the troops , the best part ... is the few minutes I get to spend with each soldier , '' Leno said on `` Today '' Wednesday . `` Behind every handshake , every hello , is a great kid . And I wanted to introduce the world to one of them . We sort of took all these wounded warriors and did a lottery and picked a soldier at random and drew something for him , and hopefully , it expresses what we want to do for all soldiers . '' Laberge was on foot patrol in Afghanistan when a suicide bomber detonated himself on the street where Laberge was standing . The soldier has had 10 surgeries to try to repair what was damaged , but he still suffers from constant pain , in addition to memory loss caused by a traumatic brain injury . Leno hoped to take his mind off some of that with the simple gift of a joyride in a 2015 Dodge SRT Hellcat through the open roads of Fort Campbell , Kentucky . `` Sometimes I think when you 're a soldier , you get this feeling that you 're all alone and the rest of the country does n't care , '' Leno said . `` So when people take a moment to stop and go , hey you , thank you very much -- I think it does something for them . '' Once they were done taking turns behind the wheel -- and after a pit stop for some barbecue -- Leno handed the keys to the Hellcat over to Laberge . `` It 's yours , '' Leno told him . `` America loves you . Thank you . Have a lot of fun , do n't get any tickets . '' To which Laberge quickly responded with a smile , `` I ca n't promise that . '' Leno added on `` Today '' Wednesday that he `` wanted to do something a little bit different '' to show his gratitude to servicemen and women . `` Everybody helps the soldiers with medical issues and all those important things , but sometimes , that can be like getting socks for Christmas , '' he said . `` You want to give them something that 's fun , something that has nothing to do with what happened to them . ''
Jay Leno gave a military veteran a new car . Comment: The comedian has been touring with `` Today 's '' USO comedy tour .