Colorado Shop Reopens After Fire, Celebrates By Donating Vehicle to Theft Victim
Mikey’s Total Car Care of Colorado Springs, Colorado, recently celebrated reopening after a fire that damaged the building by gifting a vehicle to a local resident in need.
According to a report from FOX21, the shop experienced a fire in May 2024 that inflicted severe smoke damage to the building. The business officially opened back up Jan. 2, 2025, and held its grand reopening celebration this past Friday, March 21.
The shop had received a 2003 Ford Explorer from an anonymous donor to be passed on to someone in need of transportation. Shop owner Michael Chavez decided it marked the perfect way to celebrate them returning to serve the community.
“The donor of the car wanted to remain anonymous… but we really appreciate the fact that they gifted us this vehicle and we were able to put some money into it and it went to a really good cause,” said Chavez.
Several nominations for recipients of the vehicle were submitted by the community. With no wrong choice, Chavez decided to choose the winner through a random drawing. Chavez blindly drew a name from a pool of nominees and chose Teresa Reed: an employee at a local nonprofit called Special Kids Special Families.
On March 11, Reed’s vehicle was stolen from the parking lot of her workplace. Though the vehicle was located over an hour later, it had been totaled. When she received the call from Chavez informing her she won a donated vehicle, she was overcome with gratitude.
“When I first got the call, it was shock and the tears were just flowing and happiness, that I could just get back and forth to work,” told Reed. “And then today, when I got here and saw it, honestly it was the most beautiful vehicle I have ever seen in my life.”
Chavez is glad to have helped someone like Reed, who is actively making the community better, and hopes to hold another car giveaway soon.
“She gives a lot, she works for a nonprofit, she works for an amazing company and this couldn’t have come at a better time for her,” said Chavez.
