Selling the 1973 Pontiac Parisienne was the last thing Ben and Marilyn Keryluke wanted to do.
The classic car was their son Brent’s prized possession. But when their son and his wife died, selling it was their only option, as Ben and Marilyn now had two young children to care for. So off to the auction it went, where a collective act of generosity left the grandparents stunned.
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In 2018, Brent and Nicole Keryluke crashed into a truck on their motorcycle. The accident took both of their lives, leaving 3-year-old Liam and 6-year-old Arielle without parents. Ben and Marilyn took their grandchildren in, but struggled finding the money to care for them. As both children suffer from hearing loss, their medical bills aren’t cheap.
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The Kerylukes ultimately decided to bite the bullet and take the car to Electric Garage Auctions (EGA) in Red Deer, Alberta. There, the auctioneer shared their circumstances with potential bidders, explaining how difficult this choice was for the family. The car was initially supposed to go to Arielle and Liam when they were old enough to drive, but the loss changed those plans.
It’s obvious their story touched everyone there by what happened next. The Parisienne sold not one, but three times! The first buyer bid $29,000, then donated the car back. The second bid $30,000 and did the same. Finally the third won at $20,000 – then gave the car back to the family!
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“It was incredible. People were cheering, I was crying,”  Lyndsay Payne, co-owner of EG Auctions, told Global News. “Our auctioneer Rod had a hard time getting through it because he was crying. He was emotional.”
Bob Bevins, the final bidder, says he couldn’t keep the car. It already belonged to someone else.
“It had way more sentimental value to that family than me owning another classic car, so I thought maybe someday, that young man will be able to drive his father’s car,” Bob said.
What’s more, other people donated directly to the family at the auction and online! A GoFundMe page set up for them has already raised more than $80,000 to add to the nearly $100,000 raised at the auction.
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While the Kerylukes want Brent and Nicole back more than anything, now they can give the couple’s children a good life. One day, both Liam and Arielle will drive their father’s beloved car thanks to these incredible strangers.
Watch the beautiful act of kindness unfold in the video below, and share in honor of Brent and Nicole.
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