Daughter Tracks Down Dad's Beloved 1936 Sedan 21 Years After He Sold it To Pay for College

Jan 15, 2019 by apost team

The path to higher education can sometimes be a long and winding road. Often, people have to take breaks in their education to achieve their degree. Sometimes people even have to sacrifice the things they hold most dear to achieve their dreams. Randy Martin of Daleville, Virginia knows this lesson all too well.

Back in 1993, Randy felt called to the seminary and religious life. To pay for his education, Randy had to sell his beloved 1936 Ford Sedan. Randy and the classic Ford had been through many adventures together. Acquiring the vehicle at only 16 years old, Randy restored it to prime condition himself. The Ford’s beautiful white paint job earned it many first-place trophies in local car shows.

Randy was heartbroken to have to give up his priceless Ford, but he felt that doing so was the will of God. Stephanie Hamren, Randy’s daughter, would never forget the look of pain on her father’s face as he gave up his first baby. Despite being separated, Randy never stopped thinking about the car, telling family members he dreamed of finding it again. Determined to repurchase her father’s car, Stephanie set up a special GoFundMe page to help with the cost.

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After a lengthy search, Stephanie and her family found the car in 2014 halfway across the country in New Orleans. Secretly buying it and transporting it to their home state, the family set out to surprise their unsuspecting father. As the family recorded the unexpected reveal, tears stung Randy’s eyes on the first sight of his old friend, who thanked God for such a fantastic family.

As Stephanie handed her father the keys, he noticed she had Matthew 19:29 emblazoned on the chain, which says, “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”

Since the big reveal, Randy and Stephanie have been working on restoring the Ford themselves. Currently, much of the effort at repairing the car has been put on hold after Stephanie’s mother became ill, with much of the family’s money going to medical bills. Car enthusiasts have once again stepped up to help the family, giving almost $3000 to help with repairs.

What do you think of Randy and Stephanie’s story? Have you or anyone in your family ever owned a classic car? Tell us your stories and pass this one along to your friends and family!