Some of us are born with it, some bond over our memories.. here is a story to think about.
Sgt. Nicholas Walsh was killed in 2007 by sniper fire in Irag. His son, Triston, was 4 years old when his dad was killed, and a 1990 Ford Bronco was one of the few tangible things he had to remember his father by. He looked forward to one day restoring the Bronco and enjoying it as his dad did. His mom, Julie, had other ideas though. In December, returning home, Triston was astonished to find the Bronco was gone – in a slight panic, he wanted to know where it had gone to. Julie calmly told him the Bronco had been sold to help them buy him a newer, more reliable car for his upcoming driving days, that all the deferred maintenance the Bronco had incurred would have been formidably expensive to overcome. The boy was furious, and the game was on.
With the help of the Marine Reconnaissance Foundation and the local dealership, Mertz Ford, the Bronco was towed to the dealer service center where it was mechanically made safe and sound once again. New tires and wheels were installed and, all things told, roughly $9,000 worth of work had been performed. Julie took her son to the Ford dealership to test drive some cars about two months after she broke her son’s heart with the news that the Bronco was gone – but to his surprise, instead of walking into a showroom with new cars, they were taken to a garage where many people awaited them, including many marines, media, and locals alike. And then there was the roar of the Bronco from behind a set of paper curtains just before it rolled out for its grand entrance. Buffed to an absolute shine, the Bronco appeared completely restored and ready to roll leaving Triston beyond shocked, tears welling up in his eyes. He later thanked his mom profusely and apologized for being so emotional and dramatic over her decision to sell the Bronco.
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