OverAnxious
Dec 31st, 07, 07:51 AM
Iraq Veteran Surprised with Restored Camaro (http://forums.michiganclassics.com/showthread.php?p=1010)
Now this is a great story - similar to the one here at Team Camaro :cool:
As hundreds of Wabash Valley troops prepare to head to the Middle East, another military man is back home.
When Steve Craig returned home from Iraq, he was greeted with the surprise of a lifetime.
He found his 1969 Camaro completely restored.
"The amount of care, love and consideration that the guys and girls, all my family and friends of mine that did this, was amazing," Craig said.
Steve is talking about his 1969 Chevy Camaro.
He bought it in high school and it's looked the same ever since, that is until recently.
Now it's completely restored from top to bottom.
Last year at this time Steve was in Iraq, thinking his cherished Camaro was just sitting in the garage at home.
Little did he know his brother-in-law and some friends had other plans for the car.
"They called me up just as soon as he left for California for his training and asked my permission. I was as speechless as he was when he got the car. It was very touching," said Lori Craig, Steve's wife.
The group told Lori they wanted to restore Steve's car as a surprise gift.
Now they have a list that shows the names of all the people that had a part in fixing up the car. The amazing thing is, a lot of these people Steve and Lori didn't even know before the project began. They just wanted to do something to say thanks to Steve for his service.
"There are so many times you start to feel forgotten as a military person or a military family. For people who you don't even know, have never met, they wanted to be involved in this. They wanted to thank a service member for their time," Lori said.
Steve returned home in August and had no idea about his car.
When it came time for the reveal, they took him to a car show, but it was all a set up.
He was checking out a Camaro similar to his, little did he know it was his restored car, until he lifted the hood.
"About 60 people came out of everywhere, family and friends, and they presented me with it. They've completely over-hauled and re-done the car from the ground up," said Steve.
Shock and awe was the only way to describe Steve's reaction.
To this day, months later, he is speechless, and can only say thank you.
"It means more to me than they will ever know. They can call me anytime, anywhere, for anything and I will come," he said.
Now as this Camaro sits in the drive way, or is taken for a spin around the block, this family knows it's a lot more than metal and gears, it represents a communities appreciation to their service man.
Steve says he can't wait for the weather to warm up and car show season to begin.
This summer you can expect to find him parked next to his Camaro at local shows.
Now this is a great story - similar to the one here at Team Camaro :cool:
As hundreds of Wabash Valley troops prepare to head to the Middle East, another military man is back home.
When Steve Craig returned home from Iraq, he was greeted with the surprise of a lifetime.
He found his 1969 Camaro completely restored.
"The amount of care, love and consideration that the guys and girls, all my family and friends of mine that did this, was amazing," Craig said.
Steve is talking about his 1969 Chevy Camaro.
He bought it in high school and it's looked the same ever since, that is until recently.
Now it's completely restored from top to bottom.
Last year at this time Steve was in Iraq, thinking his cherished Camaro was just sitting in the garage at home.
Little did he know his brother-in-law and some friends had other plans for the car.
"They called me up just as soon as he left for California for his training and asked my permission. I was as speechless as he was when he got the car. It was very touching," said Lori Craig, Steve's wife.
The group told Lori they wanted to restore Steve's car as a surprise gift.
Now they have a list that shows the names of all the people that had a part in fixing up the car. The amazing thing is, a lot of these people Steve and Lori didn't even know before the project began. They just wanted to do something to say thanks to Steve for his service.
"There are so many times you start to feel forgotten as a military person or a military family. For people who you don't even know, have never met, they wanted to be involved in this. They wanted to thank a service member for their time," Lori said.
Steve returned home in August and had no idea about his car.
When it came time for the reveal, they took him to a car show, but it was all a set up.
He was checking out a Camaro similar to his, little did he know it was his restored car, until he lifted the hood.
"About 60 people came out of everywhere, family and friends, and they presented me with it. They've completely over-hauled and re-done the car from the ground up," said Steve.
Shock and awe was the only way to describe Steve's reaction.
To this day, months later, he is speechless, and can only say thank you.
"It means more to me than they will ever know. They can call me anytime, anywhere, for anything and I will come," he said.
Now as this Camaro sits in the drive way, or is taken for a spin around the block, this family knows it's a lot more than metal and gears, it represents a communities appreciation to their service man.
Steve says he can't wait for the weather to warm up and car show season to begin.
This summer you can expect to find him parked next to his Camaro at local shows.