When I saw on Facebook that a good friend of mine was recommending a new local business, I was curious. This friend was an influencer before the word influencer was invented. If she recommends somebody, I want to know more. Well, to my surprise, it was a new personal transportation business called Freedom Provider. This new business wasn’t started as a lifelong dream of Tom Roy’s, but as a result of a life-changing injury.
I’ve known Tom Roy since 1492. Actually, 1997 when I bought the house he grew up in. I know, some of you are thinking – – oh, that house. The brick house with the gargoyles. Yes, that’s the one, but neither Tom’s parents nor I take the credit or blame for the gargoyles, and I think the gargoyles are gone now.
The story of Tom‘s business, Freedom Provider LLC Personal Transportation Service, stuck with me personally and as a reminder of what a great resource it might be for my clients. I work with a lot of elderly people, some of whom don’t have local family, or who live outside of public transportation routes, and maybe just want a little more privacy about their needs. From a personal perspective, I believe we all need to help build each other up and support people and businesses in our communities.
I approached Tom and asked him to help me write this story. Here’s an introduction from Tom and then a Q&A, followed by information on how you can reach out to Freedom Provider for your personal transportation needs. What might those be? Freedom Provider offers all kinds of personal transport–medical appointments, ambulatory assistance, dialysis rides, hospital discharges, therapy and rehab rides, everyday errands and more.
In August of 2020, I fell off a ladder at work and suffered a severe, devastating injury to my left leg, a pilon fracture. I spent many weeks in the hospital in Boston, with multiple surgeries to rebuild my leg. It was a long dark year, only to find out the surgeries hadn’t worked. At that point it was either more reconstruction surgeries, or make the decision to have my leg amputated. I made that decision, by far one of the toughest of my life.
My road to recovery was exceptionally tough at times, but throughout it all I knew somehow, and in some way, I had to turn my pain into purpose. No one rises on their own, and I had a lot of support and help to get through that time. At that point I knew my life had changed, and changed drastically. How would I rise? How would I reinvent and rebuild myself? My world at times was in shambles, but with the constant help from my family, and through my children’s love and strength, I somehow came back stronger. I knew turning that pain into purpose meant giving back to a community that gave me so much. This new business, Freedom Provider, is just an extension of that, starting that journey.
What did you do before this, and how does that background shape the way you’re building your business today?
Before starting this business, I owned and operated my own construction and house flipping business with my wife. I held my real estate license and bought and sold the properties we restored. I ran the day to day operations, and it taught me how to run a business–what I liked and didn’t like, and that gave me lessons on how I could make it better this time around.
Was there a specific moment — a conversation, a realization, a push from someone — that made you say, okay, I’m actually doing this?
It was honestly my wife, Leanne. I knew I wanted to give back, but how? When I was down and out for so long, recovering, I frequently felt alone, isolated and trapped. Getting out and being with people who helped build me back was my best medicine. Creating a business around personal transportation, and the literal freedom it gives people is something I can do physically, and how I can make an impact on the people who need it most.
What has surprised you most about getting started — good or bad?
Honestly what surprised me the most was my drive, how once we made the decision to go for it, we just pushed forward to make it happen. It was a new found confidence and I knew immediately we had made the right decision. Starting this journey, starting again for myself was powerful, despite the fear of failure. There have been enormous life lessons throughout all of this, lessons they don’t teach in school. I found, and have an enormous faith, in God. It took me a long time to get there, but I realized, when he wants to change a man, he breaks him, he isolates him, and so he builds that trust in him. He takes everything from you that you thought you were and builds you back in the best way possible. I’m grateful for my journey, as painful as it’s been in so many ways. It had to happen this way.
The work itself
It’s simple really–we offer to get you out of the house and help you get where you’re going. Maybe a simple doctor’s appointment, grocery shopping, Walmart, any appointment you need to get to, or maybe the beach one morning. We offer you a piece of your independence back, and our hope is that you get out of the car feeling better about things than before you got in. You can book us for as long as you need us, maybe just a simple trip to the grocery store, an hour or two. It flows pretty easy, we book a time slot and we get you there.
What’s the part of your work you could talk about for hours and never get bored?
Interacting with people. I love to talk with people, hear their own stories, their struggles, and about their families. These are the things in life that count, and I love forming that bond with good humans.
Your Customers and Community
My ideal customer is anyone in need—they need that ride, they need that interaction. They need to hear “Don’t quit, not today. Maybe tomorrow, but not today.” My goal is to build genuine, trusting relationships — where every person feels truly cared for, safe, and valued from the very first interaction.
What problem are you solving for people, and why does it matter to you personally?
The problem we’re solving is simple, it’s freedom, because for some reason or another our customers are “stuck”, and have lost their independence. Maybe they’re too old to drive, maybe they just had surgery and can’t drive, or maybe they are just stuck in the house and need help in the grocery store. Being immobile, or stuck in your home can be torture. I’ve been there, and I understand it.
What do you want people in the community to know about what you offer?
It’s affordable, and we care. I care about the service I provide, and the interactions my customers have. I understand the feelings of being isolated, and I understand mental health. My goals are simple—treat people like they’re good humans and leave them a little better than I found them. I never know what someone might be going through. I show up with genuine care and a trustworthy presence, and I want to deliver the kind of experience that makes them feel safe and valued.
How can the community help your business, even if they don’t yet need the services you offer?
Recommend us! If you know someone who is stuck, who needs a hand, maybe a family that needs help getting loved ones somewhere, think of us. This isn’t a job to me, it’s personal.
What’s something about starting this business that you didn’t expect — either harder or easier than you thought it would be?
I’ve had businesses before, and this time the hardest part was just believing in myself enough. I know there is a real need for the services that Freedom Provider offers.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone thinking about starting a similar business, what would it be?
Don’t let fear stop you. You can do anything, and your biggest obstacle is yourself. Believe in yourself. We only get one shot at this life, and that’s one of the biggest things I’ve realized throughout all of this. Time doesn’t stop for anything, it keeps going. If we make excuses and refuse to grow and fight everyday to be a better human, we lose. Life is way too short, and tomorrow is not guaranteed.
What are you most excited about right now — a new offering, something you’re experimenting with, or just the fact that this is finally happening?
I’m excited to work with new people, to watch this grow and see where it takes us, and takes the community. I don’t believe things happen by chance, I never have, everything is his plan. This journey brought me here for a reason.
What does success look like for you five years from now?
Success, to me, is being able to look back and see that we’ve genuinely helped many people regain their independence, moved forward in their lives, their thinking, and their perception of life and the people around them.
I’m also in the process of writing my first book! I’m very excited that it will be published in Spring/Summer 2026. I’m also a motivational speaker. I knew when my life changed that I had to somehow share my story. Not for me as much, but for the community that did so much for me and for my family. There were more times than I care to remember when I wanted to quit, all of it. It’s been a long road.
As much as I wanted to, quitting was never an option. Fear, pain and adversity can never win. I don’t speak from theory, I speak from a real life experience of constant struggle and failure, but we always get back up, always. My favorite quote, “What we do in life, echoes in eternity.” I believe that wholeheartedly, that if we’re here, still breathing, God has a purpose for us.
How can people find out more or schedule with Freedom Provider?
They can call, text, or email, or use the contact form on the Freedom Provider website. We’re fully up and running. Potential customers can reach out with any questions, and know that we’re very flexible. I’m willing to think and work outside the box!
Call/Text: 978 230 2841
Website: Freedomproviderllc.com
Email: freedomproviderone@gmail.com
Contact Form
Freedom Provider Rates
*Airport rates and multi-passenger rates apply, with more information on the website.
Speaking Website: Freedomafterthefall.com
Physical location: Ashburnham MA with a service area of Northern Worcester County
About Tom Roy
Tom Roy grew up in Westminster, MA, graduating from Oakmont Regional High School in 1998. Tom currently lives in Ashburnham MA, with his wife Leanne and three children, Addison, Silas and Landon. Tom . Tom and Leanne founded Freedom Provider LLC Personal Transportation Service, specializing in disabled and elderly transportation to provide freedom for those to get around again. Tom and Leanne formed Freedom Provider after a devastating injury in 2020 that rearranged all their personal and business priorities. Freedom Provider gives Tom a new perspective on how to live again with a purpose, and a way to give back to a community that was so supportive in their time of need.
Editor’s Note: I always encourage readers to do their own due diligence before hiring any business. My endorsement of any business is limited to my own experience with the people and/or the business. If I’ve personally hired a business in my Business Profile series, it will be detailed in the story.
