They auctioned a $14K Pontiac for their grandkids. Neighbors bid $100K and then did something incredible
Ben Keryluke did not want to sell the 1973 Pontiac Parisienne, but he had no other choice
Nothing compares to the joy and positive change a community can bring when it comes together. The story of Ben and Marilyn Keryluke auctioning off their late son's 1973 Pontiac Parisienne, as reported by CBC Radio, is an example of that support, which touched the hearts of many. Brent and Nicole Keryluke passed away on May 5, 2018, due to a motorcycle accident, leaving their two children, Arielle (6) and Liam (3), with Brent's parents.
The last resort
Ben and Marilyn were semi-retired when their son passed away. "I thought I might be able to make it by. And then now we've got two children to raise. And we can't very well go back to work because when you're 66 years old, and you're raising little children, it takes up all of your time," Ben told CBS Radio. Both Arielle and Liam had hearing problems and had to see a speech therapist and audiologist at Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary.
The only solution to their money problems was to sell Brent's car, even though they did not want to. Brent had repaired and refurbished it, hoping to give it to his children one day, but they had no other choice. Ben reached out to the Electric Garage Auction House, hoping to get at least $14,000 for it. But what happened at the auction house blew the Kerylukes' minds away.
The unexpected community support
Before the actual day, the auction house had been promoting the car locally by sharing the Kerylukes' story. When they opened the bid, the car was sold at $29,000, exceeding the family's expectations. Rod McWilliams from Red Deer Motors bought it but immediately donated it to the auction house. This was so that they could auction it again. During the second round, Danny Fayad from Edmonton bought it for $30,000 and donated it right away.
Bob Bevins, the owner of Bulldog Metals and a classic car collector, bought the car during the third round for $20,000 but returned it to its rightful owners, the Kerylukes. "It had way more sentimental value to that family than me owning another classic car," Bevins explained to Global News about why he gave it back.
The people of Red Deer City really came through for the Keryluke family. While the bids were going on, other members of the community pitched in to donate to the family. They managed to raise $100,000, both through donations and the car auction. All this would not have been possible if there were no sense of community among the residents of Red Deer City, which is rare in today's world considering so many people don't even know their neighbors.
USA's relationship with neighbors
The Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2025 showed that only 26% of U.S. adults know most of their neighbors, 62% recognize a few of their neighbors, but 12% do not know any of the people living around them. When it comes to trust, 44% trust the majority of the people in their neighborhood, while 46% trust some of them. The remaining 9% does not trust anyone in the neighborhood.
One final message
After everything the community did for Ben and his family, he said, "It was incredible. People were standing up. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house. Everyone was clapping and cheering every bid that came in. It was amazing." He added that the money was not only going to support them financially, but also helped ease their grieving process. Seeing so many people who love and support them made him happy, and Brent finally got his wish. His car is safe with his family, waiting for his children to grow up so they can enjoy it.
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