When Taylor Gormley and Jared Teufel were asked by his brother Daniel to go for a drive they never expected they would wind up receiving the most heartwarming Christmas gift they could ever remember.
When Taylor Gormley and Jared Teufel were asked by his brother Daniel to go for a drive they never expected they would wind up receiving the most heartwarming Christmas gift they could ever remember.
When the young couple walked into the new showroom at Fourlane Ford Sales early in the afternoon of Dec. 22, dealer principal Jeff Denham immediately greeted them with a special message.
"We wanted to do something to bless you this year, and we are going to be giving you a car," said Denham, noting the financial challenges many Albertans, including the young couple, faced in 2016.
"You're giving us a car?" a beaming Gormley countered in shock.
"Merry Christmas. We wanted to do something for someone who needed a hand and we wanted to bless you with this," said Denham.
For many minutes Gormley and Teufel stood almost perfectly still, and speechless. In front of them was a fully refurbished 1998 Mercury Sable GS, which had been carefully selected by staff and meticulously groomed into a gorgeous motor vehicle that was ready to hit the road in perfect running condition.
There was no better gift for the financially challenged young couple, who were married just two years ago and are expecting their first child in two months.
Leading up to the holidays, staff at Fourlane Ford, which has been operating in Innisfail since 1993, wanted to do something special for the community that has been so loyal to them for more than two decades. They agreed to give away a car to a financially challenged family. With assistance from Family and Community Support Services, they found the right couple in Gormley and Teufel.
"We have been blessed beyond belief by Innisfail and the surrounding communities and it is just one of the ways we want to give back," said Denham. "We found this to be a new and unique way to help somebody that maybe is in a really tough time right now."
When the initial excitement abated, Gormley and Teufel were still overwhelmed with gratitude.
"I am stunned. Oh, my gosh. This is not expected at Christmas. I never expected to get a new car, ever. I'm overwhelmed," said Gormley. "It means that we will be able to get everywhere we need to. It is a huge relief. It means so much. We have so much gratitude for everyone who set this up."
As for Jared, he conceded 2016 had been a challenging year for him and his young wife but he was lost for words by the stunning display of generosity from Fourlane Ford.
"I can't really top anything she (Taylor) just said," said Teufel. I am stunned as well."
Jeff Denham, dealer principal of Fourlane Ford Sales
"We have been blessed beyond belief by Innisfail and the surrounding communities and it is just one of the ways we want to give back."
