A Texas father who sold his dream car four decades ago to buy diapers for his newborn son received an unforgettable 65th birthday surprise that brought him to tears.
God plants seeds of love in parents’ hearts that grow into sacrifices for their children. These parents put aside their own dreams to give their children the best possible life, asking nothing in return but their children’s happiness.
Earl Guynes’ story shows us how his sacrifice of selling a cherished car for diapers turned into a beautiful testimony of a son’s gratitude forty years later.
When Earl Guynes was 22 and working in automotive parts, he bought his dream car – a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro. This wasn’t just any car – it was a Marina blue beauty with bold white stripes running across its hood and back.
The Camaro SS packed power with its 350 small-block V8 engine and smooth automatic 3-speed transmission. Its Crager chrome 15-inch mag wheels with white-letter tires turned heads wherever it went.
“The car was loud and people would kind of always be looking at you and you’d always see somebody side eyeing like see that car come down the street. It was just a cool thing, a fun thing to do,” Earl remembered with joy.
Earl’s life changed in 1982 when he married his sweetheart Mona and became a father to her daughter Jennifer. Two years later, they welcomed their son Jared. As a new father with two young children to care for, Earl made a choice that many parents face – he sold his beloved Camaro to buy diapers and baby supplies.
Through the years, he would tell young Jared the story: “I used to have a car like that one over there. I let it go for diaper money. You needed diapers and so that’s what happened to that car.”
At first, Jared didn’t believe these stories. “I thought he was full of it because that’s exactly what a guy in a tank top and a minivan would tell you,” he said. But as Jared grew up, every detail his father shared about the Camaro stayed with him – from its Marina blue paint to its special features.
In 2021, Jared’s business did well, and he made an unusual choice. Instead of paying off debt or investing the money, he started searching for a car like his father’s old Camaro.
Since Earl had sold the original car for cash, Jared looked nationwide for a similar model. After twelve months of searching, he found a Marina blue Camaro just 70 miles from their home. Though the car needed much work, Jared spent two years fixing it up in secret.
The big moment came at Earl’s 65th birthday party. When Earl saw the restored Camaro, tears filled his eyes. This new Camaro was even better than his old one – safer, quieter, and more polished. Earl, who now works at O’Reilly Auto Parts in Mesquite, Texas, looks forward to working on the car with his son.
For Jared, now 40, this gift meant more than just giving his dad a car. “Wanting dad to really understand how much I love him and how important he is to me and how good of a job he did being a dad, I wanted to find the biggest, most symbolic most outrageous way to help him understand how much,” he shared.
When father and son stood together by the car, Earl said with emotion, “He loves me a lot, as much as I love him.”
This touching story shows us how God works through a parent’s loving sacrifice to create lasting bonds between generations. When we honor our parents as God commands, we not only follow His word but also build precious memories that strengthen our family ties.
May this father and son’s story inspire us to show gratitude for our parents’ sacrifices and remind us that love given freely always returns in God’s perfect time.
WATCH: Texas Dad Moved to Tears as Son Gifts Him 1967 Camaro He Gave Up for Family
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