Lumberton auto shop makes free repairs to family's car found stolen and trashed
LUMBERTON, N.J. (FOX 29) - A Lumberton auto shop made free repairs to a family's car after it was found stolen and trashed.
READ MORE: Florence Township Police create Christmas miracle for one little girl
"I'm ecstatic. I'm going food shopping," laughed Kathy Durkin. Kathy, her husband William and grand-daughter Shealynn were ready to jump in and pull off when they got the keys to their 2008 Mercury Mariner this evening.
"I'm so happy. Honestly I didn't know what we were going to do," she said. The car isn't new though.
Someone stole, trashed and ditched it. The Durkins just got it back after struggling to make it over a month without it.
"I'm handicap and my husband also so we have to get her back and forth to school, to doctors, everything," said Kathy. It started with a string of bad luck the weekend before Christmas. William stopped to pick-up a take-out order and left the car running to keep it warm. Someone jumped in and took off with the car and most of Shealynn's Christmas gifts in it. Florence Township Police saved the day by providing Christmas gifts for Shealynn but the family was still left without their car.
Until New Year's Eve when police found it in Philly in bad shape.
"When he started it up to get it off of the flatbed it sounded like a tank," said Kathy. But then their luck started to change. Kathy's nephew Chris is the manager of Midas in Lumberton.
He explained Kathy's situation to his boss and shop owner Sam who decided they'd make the repairs for free. $2500 worth.
"The struts had been blow out in the front. There was oil all over the suspension system. It looked like they had went off-roading in it and it looked like they had beat it up very bad. They had broken the exhaust and as well needed some tires," said Kathy's nephew Christopher Erwin.
Tonight the car is back on the road and without a bill that Kathy says would have taken them at least six months to save up.
"His boss thank you Sam. Definitely thank you so much," said Kathy. We talked to the shop owner on the phone. He didn't want the attention but says he was happy to help Chris's family because he is such a good employee.