Nothing is more important to Wesley Ryan than his family. He’s proved it. But the father of two from San Antonio, Texas, will always hold a special spot in his heart for his first love, Christine – a 1993 white Ford Mustang GT.
Wesley’s car has been with him throughout it all, from marrying his high school sweetheart, Laura, to welcoming his children, Jake and Jen, into the world. But 15 years ago, Wesley made the difficult decision to part with his baby on wheels.
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Laura began her battle with ovarian cancer in 2001, and she came out victorious. But before she beat the disease, Wesley sold his Mustang to pay for her medical bills. Jake and Jen never forgot their dad’s selflessness – nor did they forget Christine. In fact, they spent years saving up and searching for their dad’s beloved car.
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And incredibly, they found it listed for sale on Craiglist! The VIN matched – it was definitely Christine. So, the brother and sister pooled all their savings and bought the car, surprising their dad in September 2018. Wesley sobbed in his son’s arms, so overcome that he couldn’t bring himself to even touch the car.
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But, as Wesley recently found out, the surprise didn’t end there.
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When the video of Wesley’s reaction to his children’s gift went viral, it caught the attention of Ford Motor Company’s executive chairman, who partnered with the high-end custom car shop Hennessey Performance to give Christine a complete makeover!
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The Mustang got a brand-new engine, transmission, paint job, and interior, among other major improvements. Then the big reveal came in August, when Henry Ford III presented Christine to the Ryan family at the Ford World Headquarters in Detroit.
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“We heard about your story and we heard about what a passionate and tight-knit family you guys are and we kind of feel the same way around here at Ford,” Ford III said. “Wes, I know you made a pretty big sacrifice to take care of your family. So, this is your car.”
And once again, Wesley broke down at the sight of his gorgeous ride. “I’m lost for words. It’s beautiful,” he said.
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Though Wesley never expected to be rewarded for taking care of his wife, it’s so nice to see it happening, anyway. He deserves the joy of driving Christine once again after everything he and his family have been through.
Check out more of Christine’s overhaul in the video below, and don’t forget to share.
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