When it comes to cars, many of us are happy with buying second – or even third or fourth – hand. New cars are very pricey, and there’s usually more choice for a smaller budget in the second-hand market.
Kevin Duke had thought he’d start on the lower end of the price scale when he bought a car off Gumtree for his daughter, Jada.
At the time, Kevin knew nothing about the woman he’d bought the car from, as is often the case with online sales transactions.
But this was all about to change – and it turned out the car had a heartbreaking history.
His daughter was yet to turn 16, and couldn’t legally try out the car herself. To make sure it was perfect for her when the time came, Kevin decided to do some checks of the vehicle.
He just so happened to look inside the glovebox of his daughter’s car one day, and that’s when Kevin discovered the envelope.
"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 onFriday, February 3, 2017
The envelope simply read: ‘New Car Owner, Important Info Inside’, and Kevin assumed it was a document of some sort.
Instead, what Kevin found was much more personal: a handwritten letter from the car’s previous owner. And the story she told was enough to bring tears to Kevin’s eyes.
The letter read:
“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 mum. She passed away Feb 25, 2015 in a house fire along with my 6 year old daughter and my aunt. The last time my mum drove this car was the day she left us. Her and my daughter went out shopping and got their haircut.”
The author explained that against all her wishes, she’d had to get rid of her mom’s car after a mix-up with some insurance paperwork. She continued:
“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 to not 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 mum and child through no fault of my own.”
Though the owner was distraught at having to part with the car, she was clear that she didn’t blame Kevin for buying it.
She wrote:
“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 back seat is filled with kids and toys and random things. My family filled this car with lots of love and other sticky things.”
The author went on to explain how she and her family had used the car, detailing road trips blaring 80s music with the windows rolled down and changing diapers in the back seat. She added:
“There’s probably a sucker stick or a crayon hidden somewhere that belonged to my baby. Maybe an entire chicken nugget. Ha!”
Explaining that the car was named “Sylvia” after the song “Sylvia’s Mother”, the author urged Kevin to treat it well.
She explained:
“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 favourite sound ever or some Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Freebird’. That song meant so much that I played it at their funerals.
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 adventure you take in this car. Be blessed, be happy, live and love like we did. I wish you, and Sylvia, all the best!”
Since Kevin’s Facebook post went viral, the owner of the car, Sabrina Robinson, ended up revealing herself.
She wrote:
“I am beyond touched at how responsive everyone has been to our story and I thank each and every one of u for all of your thoughts and prayers and well wishes. I can’t say it enough, how amazing Kevin truly is. He did not have to let me know that he found my letter. He didn’t have to share our story here. He was touched very deeply, as most of u have been, and felt like he needed to share my letter for the message that it was meant to convey. Please don’t be upset with him for having Sylvia. I know in my bones that if he was able to give me the car that he would in an instant. It’s not easy to buy a car. He just got lucky and got this one.”
Sabrina’s letter is a reminder for us all to hold our loved ones close and never take a single day for granted.
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