Son Surprises Dad With Dream Car He Sold For 'Diaper Money' 41 Years Ago
He wanted to show his dad that his sacrifice wasn't made in vain.
Monkey Business Images | Shutterstock For his dad's 65th birthday, 40-year-old Jared Guynes surprised his father with a memorable and heartfelt gift, proving that his dedication and sacrifice as a parent did not go unnoticed.
He surprised his dad with his dream car after he sold it for diaper money 41 years ago.
In an interview with Good Morning America, Jared explained that he first found out about his dad's beloved 1967 Chevrolet Camaro as a teenager. At the time, a teenage Jared was used to seeing his dad drive their family cars, including a minivan.
"When he described that he once had so many cool cars in the late '70s and '80s after he got out of high school and before he got with my mom, I couldn't believe it," Jared told the news outlet. "And so the coolest car that he had was this 1967 Camaro."
When Jared asked his dad, Earl, what happened to the car, he admitted that he sold it to afford diaper money when Jared was a baby. Still, speaking with NewsNation, Jared insisted that his dad never made him feel bad or guilty about having to sell the car on his behalf.
However, hearing about how much his dad loved that car and the sacrifice made to keep their family afloat triggered something in Jared. He decided that he wouldn't allow his father's sacrifice to go unacknowledged.
"Somewhere deep down I’m like, 'Man, if I had not shown up, this car would still be here,'" Jared said. "So wouldn’t it be cool if the kid that he got rid of the car for ended up being the one to give it back to him?"
After a good year with his business, Jared searched high and low for the car.
"Now a normal person, an average person, a responsible person, if they come into more money than they anticipated, they should save it. They should invest it," Jared joked. "But for me, [buying my dad the car] was always something that I had decided a long time ago that if the circumstances ever presented themselves, I would do it, and I never forgot that."
It took Jared three years to buy the 1967 Chevrolet Camaro and restore it to a drivable condition. All the while, he kept the surprise completely under wraps.
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"So very few people knew about this [that] when I needed help that was beyond my ability, I had to explain to them that they couldn't take pictures, that they couldn't park it outside. They couldn't tell anyone that I brought it in," he said. "And I had to do it the difficult way, because, honestly, my dad is the expert on this car."
Finally, for his dad's 65th birthday in October 2024, Jared surprised him with his dream car.
He planned an elaborate birthday dinner for the family and even hired a magician to help with the big reveal. The trick ended with Earl unknowingly picking the numbers 6 and 7 and spelling "Camaro." Early was then led outside to see his car waiting for him.
His dad initially thought the Camaro was just a part of the magic show until Jared handed him the keys and said, "Thanks for the diaper money, Dad."
"He wrapped his arms around me, and he couldn't believe it, and he cried," Jared recalled of his dad's response. "He broke down and cried and he told me he loved me, and that was probably one of the best days of my life."
Earl told GMA that he was "absolutely surprised" by the car and that even if he had a time machine and could go back and rethink the decision to sell the Camaro, he wouldn't change a thing.
Still, Jared wanted to show his dad just how much he appreciated the sacrifices that were made in his youth.
"I want him to get in that car and be reminded every time he starts it up that that sacrifice was not in vain," Jared said. "He sold this car so he can start his family and he can afford diaper money and he forgot about it. But I didn't forget about it."
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.