Dad Sells Dream Car to Pay For Wife’s Cancer Treatment, Bursts into Tears Seeing Kids’ Present 17 Years Later

Wesley Ryan sacrificed his 1993 Ford Mustang GT, a car he loved so much he named it Christine. He had to sell it when his wife was fighting ovarian cancer. But 17 years later, his children surprised him with the exact car.

Wesley Ryan, a man from Texas, was inseparable from his 1993 Ford Mustang GT, which he also named Christine, but when his wife was fighting ovarian cancer and the medical bills piled up, he had to make a sacrifice.

Ryan was willing to do anything to help his wife fight cancer, so he sold his favorite car to pay off the medical bills in 2004.

Fortunately, his wife beat cancer, but his children, Jake and Jeni, never forgot what he did to save their family. They spent years trying to track their father’s car while also saving up to buy it back.

Eventually, his kids found it on Craigslist and matched the VIN. The next step was to surprise their father with his old-time favorite car.

For the cherry on top, an executive from Ford heard about Ryan’s story when it went viral and wanted to help out the family. Even though Jake and Leni already did the hard work of locating the car and bringing it back to their father, the Mustang was not in the best shape.

So, the Ford team decided to give the car a total makeover with a new engine, transmission, brakes, and bodywork. For the big reveal, Ryan and his family were invited to the Ford headquarters, and Henry Ford III was there to unveil the car for him.

Ford III expressed how inspired he was to have seen the passion and dedication Ryan had for his family and how much of a close connection the brood shared.

He continued to add that family was an important part of Ford, so helping Ryan after he sacrificed his car for the well-being of his family was a no-brainer.

Before handing the car over to Ryan, Ford III added, “So, this is your car. … We’re so happy to be a part of it and to be able to return it to you with, I think, some improvements that you’ll like.”

When Ryan’s kids surprised him with his car before it was improved, he already had a priceless reaction, and after stepping into the car with the new additions to it, he was still speechless.

The first part of the surprise was filled with emotion. Jake expressed how surprising his father with his car was, a feeling he would never forget. “To see his face and emotion made it all worth it,” he said.

On the day of the surprise, Jeni and Jake were joined by their mother, Laura, who had been cancer free for over a decade. The Mustang was in a Kohl’s parking lot near their home in San Antonio.

In the video his son shared, Ryan was blindfolded. He could not hold back his tears when he eventually laid eyes on his car after 17 years. The father was so shocked he could not even touch his old Ford.

Jake still remembered how heartbroken his father was to let his Mustang go. He said, “I know how much it broke him in half seeing that car drive away from him. A day I’ll never forget. Well … She’s back home, pops, and here to stay this time.”

Ryan was still in disbelief when he got into the car at the Ford headquarters. He was seen touching the steering wheel and admiring his car. Christine might have gotten a makeover, but Ryan knew she was still there, “It’s still her, but she’s got a new heart,” Ryan said.

The whole experience was surreal for the father, “I don’t know, I’m at a loss for words. It’s beautiful.” he added. His son was also finally excited to get to work on the car with his father now that he was old enough.

The father was also proud to see his children work hard to do something so special for him. He believed it was proof that he and his wife had done great jobs as parents.

Ryan reiterated, “[It] shows where they are: they are balanced human beings. My wife and I have succeeded, we’ve raised productive adults, it’s the strongest, most powerful feeling that a parent can have.”

Ryan was not the only one getting teary from the gesture, but what his kids did for him touched many more people. Many car enthusiasts understood why it was so emotional for him to reunite with the car.

“It’s more than just being a car guy. It’s a family. It creates memories. It’s not a hobby. It’s a way of life,” expressed a commenter. Many also thought that Jake and Jeni’s surprise, along with the help from Ford, showed that the world was still filled with kind-hearted people.

People praised Ryan for letting go of something he loved to save the life of someone he loved even more. But his life came full circle, and he got to have both his wife and the Mustang with him.

After almost two decades of being separated from the family, Christine is back and will forever be cherished and hold good memories for the Ryan family. Here is another story about a dad that took a bullet to save his daughter’s life.