Tanner Brownlee was just 15 years old when his cop father passed away in the line of duty in 2010.
When Tanner heard that his dad’s old squad car was going up for auction in Greeley, Colorado, he tried to raise some money to buy it back. The Dodge Charger was more than just a car to Tanner and his brother, Chase. It was a piece of their father, and one that he intended to get back.
The teen bid on it like crazy, but sadly failed when he was outbid by tens of thousands of dollars.
Or, at least that’s what he thought.
The Dodge Charger that Weld County Sheriff’s Deputy Sam Brownlee drove meant everything to Tanner, and it wasn’t just because it was a muscle car. He told WKBW:
“Just everything I can get means a lot to me.”
The fallen officer’s motorcycle jacket, along with a few other mementos, were given to Tanner the day his father passed away.
The jacket didn’t fit the slim teen, but there’s something of his father’s that did – his old cruiser.
As soon as Tanner found out about the charity auction, he set up a GoFundMe page, and explained that:
“My father’s police car is something he was very much attached to and to someone else it may just be some car. But to me, it was my dad’s. I want to show my father that I’ve grown into a man and take the responsibility to keep his legacy alive. This would be a huge step in doing so.”
He successfully raised $3,465 to buy the cruiser, but things didn’t exactly go as he planned.
The Kelly Blue Book value on the car was $12,500, and Tanner knew there were going to be some high bidders, but he was stunned when someone went hog wild at the event and bid an astounding $60,000 on the Charger!
Tanner was tapped out, and the high he probably initially felt was replaced with great disappointment.
That is, until a local rancher by the name of Steve Wells dropped the keys to the squad car right into his hands and said, “Tanner. Here is your car.”
Tanner told CBS Affiliate KCNC that he had no idea who Steve Wells was before that day, but now he’ll never forget the kindhearted man.
“This is just so huge. I mean, me and my dad built a fence and stuff, but having something I can use and drive around that he drove around, it just means a lot.”
The Charger, which had 147,000 on it, was being sold to raise money for C.O.P.S. – Concerns of Police Survivors. The organization provides services for family members and other survivors of law enforcement officers who pass away in the line of duty.
So even though the $60K bid went beyond the Blue Book value, the kindhearted rancher’s bid was invaluable for both Tanner and the charity the money was being donated to.
When things don’t go the way you plan, sometimes that just means the Universe has something better in store for you! That was certainly the case for Tanner, who was blessed to have such amazing, generous people come into his life.
Watch the video below to find out more about this inspiring act of kindness.
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