Teens mock a poor guy for driving his late granddad’s old car to school every day, until one day, the car revealed an unexpected blessing that changed the young man’s life.

Jared was a 16-year-old boy who lived with his father. His mother had left them a long time ago to pursue a career in a different country.

Jared was raised by two strong men who meant the world to him — his father, Steve, and his grandfather, Michael. Unfortunately, four years ago, Michael died when Jared was 12.

Despite not having much in life, Jared was grateful for what he had. He enjoyed living a simple life with his dad and grandfather, and he loved them dearly. Steve and Michael were real, genuine men, and they raised Jared to be the same way.

Jared loved his dad and grandfather dearly. | Source: Pexels

Jared was the poorest boy in his class. He had no friends, as people did not want to befriend the poor boy who had nothing to offer them. This didn’t bother him because he and his grandfather, Michael, were best friends.

After school, Jared would go into his grandfather’s garage and they would repair his car together. Jared was a skilled mechanic, and it was all thanks to his grandfather’s patient teaching.

So, even when Jared’s grandfather died, his car was kept in good condition because they had taken care of it for years, and Jared continued to look after it.

When Jared was 16, his dad, Steve, entered his room to greet him, then he handed the keys to his grandfather’s car. “Your grandpa wanted me to give this to you on your sixteenth birthday. He said you could decide what to do with it – either sell it or keep it. What do you say?” his dad asked him.

Jared was happy to receive his grandfather’s old car as a present. | Source: Pexels

Jared couldn’t help but smile. He was grateful that he now had a car of his own, and he was happy that it was a special car that he and his grandfather both maintained together. “I’ll keep it, of course! I don’t have to take the bus to school anymore, I can just drive!” he said excitedly.

The following day, when he arrived at school, everyone in the parking lot made fun of him because his car was old and noisy.

“Wow, Jared! What year did that car come from? 1945?” one of his classmates teased.

“It looks straight out of an old-school Hollywood movie! It moves like a turtle!” another laughed.

Jared ignored them all because he knew that his car was priceless.

Later that day, after school, he could not start the car, and there appeared to be a problem with it. This caused his classmates to tease him even more.

 

Jared was about to leave school when his car wouldn’t start. | Source: Pexels

“Give that to the junk shop and maybe you’ll have enough to catch the bus home!” his classmate yelled as he drove away in his brand new sports car.

Jared did not mind him, and instead, tried to repair the car for a couple of hours. It was already dark when he succeeded. When he got home, his dad laughed. “Rough day?”

“Tell me about it,” Jared said, sitting down on the couch beside him. “The car’s not used to driving long distances anymore. After all, it hasn’t been used in years. I’ll go ahead and repair it so it’s in better condition.”

Jared spent the night in the garage, hoping to repair the car and drive normally. That’s when he noticed a sealed envelope under the driver’s seat, and it was addressed to him.

Confused, he quickly opened it and realized it was a sort of will from his grandfather. In the will, it was written that Michael had left $15,000 to his only grandson. Jared’s eyes widened in surprise. A check was attached to the will and it was the amount indicated in the will.

 

Jared was repairing the car when he saw an envelope under the seat. | Source: Pexels

There was a note in the envelope, which was handwritten by Michael. It read: “I knew you wouldn’t sell my car! Thank you, Jared. I hope this money could help you as you grow up. Be a good man!”

At that moment, Jared’s father entered the garage. “Oh! Did you finally find it?” he asked, smiling.

“Did you know about this?” Jared replied, surprised that his father knew about the envelope.

“Of course, I knew! What if you decided to sell it? Then that money would go to someone else. Dad warned me about it just in case, but he was sure you wouldn’t sell it,” Steve said proudly.

Jared and Steve sat in the garage in silence for a couple of minutes, reminiscing about Michael. Then Steve decided to strike up a conversation with his son.

 

Jared upgraded the garage so he could start his own repair shop. | Source: Pexels

“What will you spend the money on? Will you buy a car?” Steve asked.

“No,” Jared replied, shaking his head. “I’m going to upgrade this garage and open a small car service station. I think I’m going to call it ‘Michael’s Station.’ What do you think, dad? Will you work on it with me?”

Steve couldn’t help but tear up. “Of course, son. Let’s do it.”

They opened a family business in honor of Michael and their shared love for cars. As they kept getting new customers, they expanded the garage, and Michael’s Station became one of the most popular car repair shops in the city.

What can we learn from this story?

• Family matters most over everything else. Jared enjoyed his life thanks to the wonderful experiences he shared with his father and grandfather. In the end, they put their family first and it allowed them to live life gratefully.
• Happiness can be found in the simplest things. Jared didn’t need much to be happy. He was not particular about the material things he owned, and instead, valued his family more than anything.

Share this story with your loved ones. It might inspire them and make their day. 

If you liked this story, you might like this one about a rich woman who mocked a cleaner who fell in love with her, only to regret her actions later.

This account is inspired by our reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to [email protected]