Man sold his dream car for some 'diaper money'—40 years later his son returned it to him

Letting go of something you always wanted and dreamt of can be extremely difficult, but when it comes to your child, any sacrifice feels small. Something very similar happened to Earl Guynes who sold his beloved car, a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro after learning his wife, Mona, was pregnant with their first child. Earl was also the stepfather of Mona's first child, Jennifer. According to FOX23 News, Guynes mentioned that he sold his car for "diaper money," humorously hinting at the financial need for his growing family. Although the car was no longer with him physically, he treasured its fond memories and shared those with his son, Jared Guynes. But little did he know that 41 years later, his son would surprise him with the most unexpected gift; an almost identical Camaro on his birthday.

According to a news outlet, Jared discovered a similar 1967 Camaro in Oklahoma but he had to work on the vehicle secretly for two years to make it look identical to the car his father once owned. "Just using context clues and stories that Dad told me, I was able to put together what the car must have looked like. In my head, I guessed what that picture was because there was no picture. They were not running around with cameras and everything like we are. So, dad may have painted a vivid picture of what this car looked like in my head," Jared said. 

Finally, the heartwarming moment arrived when Jared revealed the sweet secret and handed the keys to the beloved '67 Camaro to his father on his 65th birthday. A teary-eyed Guynes was moved by the special gift as he giggled uncontrollably looking at the car. Jared shared his beautiful story on his social media and wrote, "I’ve only seen my dad cry twice in my entire life. Dad only smiles, laughs and selflessly gives his best effort in the service of others. Tonight I saw him cry a third time, as he realized the car in the parking lot that looked just like his old one, was actually his after all. He was shocked. He threw his arms around me. And it was one of the best moments of my entire life." Jared further shared, "I love you, Dad. Thanks for the diaper money."

 In the same post, Jared also mentioned how his dad remembered specific details about his car and said, "Dad would recall the precise details of this car so much that I had them burned into my brain. 1967. 350 V8. Marina Blue. White Stripes. Automatic. Crager aftermarket wheels. White letter tires. Dual exhaust. I could close my eyes and see it." Further, he also revealed that there was always a sparkle in his father's eyes whenever he spoke about his car. “Wanting dad to really understand how much I love him and how important he is to me and how good of a job he did being a dad, I wanted to find the biggest, most symbolic, most outrageous, way to help him understand how much. And I’m like, what is the greatest thing possible? And it was the Camaro. It was always the Camaro,” Jared added.

 For Guynes, selling his Camaro might have felt like giving up on his dreams to prioritize his family's needs. Years later, when his son Jared gifted an identical car to his Dad, it was more than just a vehicle; it was his way of expressing his love and gratitude towards his father.