As a way to say thank you, the car company Mazda gave away 50 free cars to frontline workers-- and one of the recipients is a Rio Grande Valley native.

Josiah Borden, 28, moved from Weslaco to Pennsylvania, where he worked as an ICU nurse treating sick COVID-19 patients at two different hospitals two hours apart.  

At the heart of the pandemic, Borden was working 24 hours a day. He has also tested positive for COVID-19 twice.  

As part of a nationwide competition, Borden was nominated and awarded a special edition Mazda MX-5 Miata for his efforts.

“I felt that when I have kids one day and grandchildren, I want to say that I was a small part of this historic event, and people needed help and I wanted to help them,” Borden said. 

Borden is studying for his doctorate in anesthesia at the University of Pennsylvania.