A beloved dad sobbed tears of joy when his family surprised him with a bright blue 1966 Corvette Stingray he had dreamed of owning ever since he was a child.
Lynn Raynor, 74, from Hampstead, North Carolina, grew up making kit cars and watching Route 66 as a child, dreaming of one day owning the iconic car.
As time passed, Lynn’s obsession with Corvettes only grew, and though he once owned a later, less-renowned model for a brief period in his 20s, he had to sell it to support his family.
Lynn never gave up on one day owning a ’66 Nassau Blue, soft top, 327 cubic inch engine ‘Vette with 350 horsepower – but following his retirement, he was making do with upgrading a ’87 Corvette he found in a junkyard.
That was when Lynn’s wife, Sandra Raynor, 62, came up with the idea of trying to source her husband his dream car.
Sandra called on the help of her daughter Meagan and son Cody, who searched on Facebook Marketplace and managed to locate one around four hours away in Simpsonville, South Carolina.
As a foil for the surprise, Meagan, 33, and Cody, 29, told their dad that they needed help looking at an old 1971 GMC chassis.
When they approached the seller’s home, Lynn joked: What kind of car owner keeps a rusted chassis in such a nice neighborhood?
Then, when he stepped out onto the drive and saw the stunning blue sports car looking back at him, the moment became too much.
Lynn sobbed tears of joy as his kids informed him that his dream car was now his.
Meagan said: ” He was noticing the surroundings in the neighborhood when we made the right-hand turn into a cul-de-sac.
“There in the driveway was this absolute showstopper that, unbeknownst to him, was his dream car.
“He was so stunned I had to tell him to get out of the truck, and he was absolutely speechless as he approached the car and saw his name on the for-sale sign.
“My dad has sacrificed so much and has never asked for anything in return.
“Seeing his reaction as he first laid eyes on the car, seeing him process that it was his, is a memory I will forever cherish.
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“I have rarely seen my dad shed tears like he did while he was soaking in the fact the car was his.
“This act of selfless love by my mom was something so precious to see and to capture.
“It makes my heart swell to see the stress melt away from my dad.
“It has been replaced with a joy and a giddiness that I have never seen in him before.
“Not only has this car smitten my dad, but my mom as well.
“They are enjoying this beautiful car together as often as possible.”