24-Year-Old Raises Her 3 Younger Brothers All Alone Without A Car Until Strangers Step In
On top of raising the three boys, she works full-time to provide for them.
Liderina / Shutterstock At just 24, Rachel Chavez volunteered to care for her three younger siblings. She knew that it wouldn't be easy, but she stepped up to the plate to give them the life and home they deserved.
After others noticed her efforts, they decided to gift her with a surprise that would improve life drastically for both her and her siblings.
Chavez was raising her three younger siblings without a car until strangers stepped in to help.
Rachel Chavez from Arizona knew that taking in her three younger brothers to raise on her own was the right thing to do after their parents were struggling with their health and finances. While they loved their children, it eventually became impossible to care for them, so in Septemeber 2022, Chavez gained legal custody of her younger brothers, ages 17, 15, and 9. While working full-time as a pharmacy technician, Chavez managed to provide a stable home for the three boys with food on the table and a roof over their heads.
“I’m caring for them to give them a better future, to provide them with what they need, a roof over their head, food,” she told ABC 15 News. “Our parents still see them, but they are working on their own health. I just wanted my brothers to have a stable household.”
Chavez knows all too well what it is like to live in an unstable environment, as she did so when she was a child. She never wants her brothers to live under the same conditions.
“My childhood was very tough, and I just wanted to break the cycle,” she said.
Photo: Diego Cervo / Canva Pro
What's even more impressive than Chavez's dedication to her family is that she is juggling all of this without a car.
Chavez shared her remarkable story with the non-profit organization, Homeless Engagement Lift Partnership.
They were astounded by her dedication to her family.
“For somebody that’s 24 years old, to take on that kind of responsibility, and to know and have that ambition to keep going, it’s incredible,” Dawn Marie Rapaport, Founder of Homeless Engagement Lift Partnership, told ABC 15 News.
After learning that she did not own a car, the organization decided to surprise her and her brothers with one. They invited Rachel and her family to come wrap presents for families in need at Arrowland BMW. Little did they know that when they arrived, they would be the ones receiving the gift of a lifetime.
Thanks to a donation by Arrowhead BMW, Volvo Cars Arrowhead, and Jaguar Land Rover Arrowhead, the organization gifted siblings a 2015 Honda Accord, complete with a giant bow on the hood.
Rachel could not help but burst into tears of gratitude upon learning that the car was really hers.
Photo: F01 PHOTO / Shutterstock
“When we can give back, especially in such a great light with Rachel and her siblings and it’s local, it’s impactful, that’s a big deal for us,” said Nathan Schwan, General Sales Manager with Arrowhead BMW.
Chavez was especially thrilled about the seat warmers and was excited to test them out. More importantly, however, she will have a much easier commute to work every day. And in true sisterly fashion, she was still putting her brothers' needs first.
“My younger brother Daniel was talking about getting into football and I was like, oh my gosh, that would be awesome, I’ll be able to take him and go to the games,” she said. “I’m really excited because we’ll be able to do anything we want and I’m really looking forward to bonding with them in a new way.”
Sibling relationships are unique in that they can flourish throughout a lifetime.
Siblings share common family experiences, traditions, and memories, which contribute to a shared identity and sense of belonging within the family unit.
Chavez took her role as big sister and stepped up more than any sibling should ever be expected to at just 24 years old. And for that, she deserves all the generosity in the world.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.