At 17 years old, Jake Stitt is an icon in his hometown of Morristown, Tennessee. He can often be found sitting outside in his wheelchair, smiling and holding up a sign that reads, “Honk if you’re happy!” Even on the worst days, his joy makes his neighbors feel a little lighter!
But that doesn’t mean Jake has it easy. The teen has cerebral palsy and Tim, his dad, is his sole caregiver. Recently, Tim started losing function in his hands, which made it difficult for him to get his son in and out of their car safely. They needed a wheelchair-accessible van to get around, but they had no idea how their need would be met – until none other than Justin Timberlake stepped up!
Upon hearing that Tim and Jake needed a van, a family friend named Jaime Chesnutt set up a GoFundMe to raise the money. Tim was blown away, but the kindness didn’t stop with her! Their whole town began donating, hoping to gather enough to help Jake like he has helped them.
Eventually, word of their efforts reached singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. Instead of donating to the GoFundMe, he decided to purchase a brand new van for Jake and Tim! Not only that, but he also had it decked out with University of Alabama swag in honor of Jake’s favorite football team.
Right before the new van was delivered, Jake and Tim were invited to a Zoom call, and Timberlake showed up to tell them about the surprise! The kindhearted celebrity made sure to tell them he doesn’t want any of the money they raised. Instead, he hopes they will spend all of it on medical care, equipment, and anything else they need!
Both Jake and Tim said his gift has been “a blessing,” and they are still processing everything.
“It’s going to make my life a lot easier because there’s not many people that can lift him up and sit him in a van like he needs,” Tim said. “It’s going to make our lives so much easier because of the independence he’s going to have as a young man now.”
What an amazing thing to do for a family in need! Thank you, Timberlake, for reminding everyone that there is so much good in the world!
See Jake’s reaction to his new ride in the video below, and be sure to share this story with your friends so they can be encouraged too.
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