AUSTIN (KXAN) — It’s a red truck you’ve probably seen all over social media by now, and it’s definitely totaled. Now, a Texas dealership is offering to help out.
The truck was caught on video getting tossed in a tornado near Rio Rancho, Texas, on Monday, flipping over and then finally landing upright. Photos taken later showed the damage.
Riley Leon, the 16-year-old behind the wheel, is thankfully alive, though his school nurse said Leon was taken to the hospital Thursday and was discovered to have fractures in his back.
Now, after the video of Leon’s narrow escape went viral on social media, a Fort Worth dealership is offering him a brand new truck free of charge.
Bruce Lowrie Chevrolet confirmed to KXAN it will be donating a truck to Leon, and Leon said Thursday he had indeed made contact with the dealership.
Chevrolet posted about the gift to Leon on social media Thursday night, saying he will be getting a 2022 Silverado 1500 LT All Star Edition in, you guessed it, cherry red. Leon and his family will be presented the new truck on Saturday at the Bruce Lowrie dealership.
“We are thankful Riley is safe, commend his driving skills during a frightening situation, and our hearts are with other families in Texas that have been affected by these storms,” Chevrolet said, adding it’s donating $50,000 to the Red Cross to help with Texas recovery efforts after Monday’s tornado outbreak.
It was one of the financial strains facing Leon’s family after the incident. They also don’t have health insurance, according to Leon’s school nurse.
A GoFundMe has been created to help Leon’s family with some of the medical costs.