Woman solely raising three younger brothers moved to tears by a life-changing gift from strangers

Life's struggles were transformed into a heartwarming tale of community support for 24-year-old Rachel Chavez. Undertaking the immense responsibility of raising her three younger brothers, Chavez's courage and dedication caught the attention of compassionate individuals eager to help. According to ABC 15, her efforts to take care of her brothers while juggling work and school didn't go unnoticed as nonprofit organization Homeless Engagement Lift Partnership (HELP), along with a few other sponsors, surprised the woman with a new car.

For the past eighteen months, Chavez has been the sole guardian of her brothers - Johnny, Daniel, and Michael, stepping in when her parents could no longer care for them. Even before becoming their legal custodian last September, Chavez had been hustling to take care of their brothers' needs, providing them a place to stay. "I'm caring for them to give them a better future," Chavez said and added, "Our parents still see them, but they are working on their own health. I just wanted my brothers to have a stable household." Though it had been tough for her to take the role of a parent at such a young age, she seemed to be powering through with incredible determination.

"My childhood was very tough and I just wanted to break the cycle," Chavez said. Equipping herself to be a pharmacy tech, the sister also worked full-time. Moved by grit and hard work, HELP has been aiding her and her family with resources and holiday presents. Dawn Marie Rapaport, founder of HELP, shared, "For somebody that's 24 years old, to take on that kind of responsibility and to know and have that ambition to keep going, it's incredible." After interviewing nearly 100 families who are currently receiving their assistance, HELP finally chose Chavez for the big surprise, considering how she had been doing it all without a car. 

The nonprofit contacted Chavez in January, telling her that she and her brothers were going to help wrap presents for other families. But to the family's surprise, a 2015 Honda Accord was awaiting them. "Seeing it, that first view, I thought I was in a dream, I was like, 'Someone pinch me because this can't be real,'" Chavez exclaimed. Arrowhead BMW, Volvo Cars Arrowhead and Jaguar Land Rover Arrowhead made significant contributions to give Chavez a gift of her lifetime. "We just want to be there for her, we want to help her along her journey and help the boys and help lift her up. She's been taking the bus to work and school. Now she'll save a lot more time and spend that with her family," said Rapaport.

On seeing her brand-new vehicle, the first thing that Chavez got excited about was the seat warmers in it. "You need it in this type of weather," the happy sister said. The 24-year-old broke into tears upon receiving this much-needed gift that would help her navigate life with her family more easily. All she could think of was how this car would be helpful for her brothers. "My younger brother Daniel was talking about getting into football and I was like, oh my gosh, that would be awesome, I'll be able to take him and go to the games. I'm really excited because we'll be able to do anything we want and I'm really looking forward to bonding with them in a new way," said the kind sister.