There are a lot of things about having a teen that can leave a parent lying awake at night. One, of course, is the thought of them driving. But since that day will inevitably come where they’ll be ready to get behind the wheel – all we can do is teach them well and try and provide them with a safe vehicle.
When Kentucky resident, Kevin Duke, purchased his teen daughter a used car he naturally wanted to test it out first. What surprised him though was what he found in the car’s glove compartment.
Kevin’s daughter was still weeks away from her 16th birthday, which gave him time to fully inspect the car to ensure it was safe. Besides driving it around, he also searched through the vehicle as well.
One place the dad checked was inside the glove compartment. In fact, he checked it numerous times – but it wasn’t until he picked up a small rubber mat that he discovered there was a hidden letter beneath it.
The envelope was addressed to the new owner of the car and read: “Important Info Inside.”
Kevin explained in a Facebook post:
“Well, yesterday I’m in it tinkering around and I open this storage compartment on top of the dash (which I’ve opened a half dozen times already). This time I notice a rubber mat in the bottom of it and for whatever reason, I pull it out. To my surprise, I find this envelope with this letter inside. I won’t lie, I shed a few tears.”
The dad shared photos of the handwritten letter online, which gave a peek into the previous owners’ history. On top of bringing Kevin to tears, it’s left the internet needing tissues too.
It began:
“To the person that gets this car, I just wanted to let you know what a special vehicle you’ve bought. This car belonged to my mom. She passed away Feb. 25, 2015 in a house fire along with my 6 year old daughter and my aunt. The last time my mom drove this car was the day she left us. Her and my daughter went out shopping and got their hair cut.”
Turns out, the writer of the letter didn’t want to part with the car. But she had no choice.
“This car holds a lot of special memories for me. My home and everything in it is gone, this car is all that I had left to touch. There was a mix up with paperwork and that’s caused the car not to be paid off by insurance. It’s very upsetting that I have lost my family, my home and now I’m losing this last link I have with my mom and child through no fault of my own.”
The previous family had a lot of fun times in the vehicle, and the writer hoped the new owner did the same.
She explained in the letter:
“I’m not mad at you. I hope this car is the best car you’ve ever owned. I hope it runs for 100 more years. I hope the backseat is filled with kids and toys and random things. My family filled this car with lots of love and other sticky things. We took road trips, blared 80’s and country music and rolled the windows down. I’ve changed more diapers in the backseat than I can count. There’s probably a sucker stick or a crayon hidden somewhere that belonged to my baby. Maybe an entire chicken nugget. HA!”
The car wasn’t perfect, but the reasons why might leave a lump in your throat.
“I don’t know if you’ll see it but there may be a dirty spot on the dash. My daughter and I would pretend to go on adventures while we sat in the driveway and she always put her feet there. The dent on the rear drivers side fender and the dent in the passenger side door are where my daughter learned to ride…and crash…her bike a few months before her death.”
The grieving mom continued:
“I know it’s just a car to you, but to me it’s so much more. Life happened in this car. Love, joy and adventure was had in this car. So now that it’s yours, please remember it isn’t just a car. It’s a memory. This car with all its quirks is the last piece of my family. Be nice to it. Play it a country song. Big Green Tractor was my daughter’s favorite song ever, or some Lynyrd Skynyrd Freebird. That song meant so much to us that I played it at their funerals.”
Kevin’s daughter wouldn’t be alone while she was out driving the car.
“You’re riding with angels. My angels. Talk to them if you like, I’m sure they’d like to see and hear about any new adventures you take in this car. By the way, her name is Sylvia. The very first day mom got this car, we all rode around and Dr. Hook’s Sylvia’s Mother came on the radio, the name kind of just stuck when my daughter said that’s what we should name the car. So please don’t change her name.”
She concluded her letter with a final request.
“If you ever want to sell Sylvia, please try to find me. I just paid for 3 funerals, I can’t afford to buy it right now, but hopefully I’ll be in a better financial situation if you decide later that she’s just not right for you anymore. Be blessed, be happy, live and love like we did. I wish you and Sylvia the best!”
The internet was just as touched by the powerful letter after Kevin shared it on Facebook. Even Love What Matters picked up on it and shared it on their page as well. By no surprise, the whole story gathered thousands of “likes.”
“I bought my daughter, Jada, a used car a couple weeks ago. Since she doesn’t turn 16 until March, I’m driving it to see…
Posted by Love What Matters on Friday, February 3, 2017
It’s a letter that’s pulling on heartstrings. Hopefully, the woman finds peace and “Sylvia” helps create many new beautiful memories.
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