An Automotive Christmas Surprise for Family of Six

The Clarks didn’t know where they were going. Not Cyndia, not Jonathan and certainly not their four kids.

Cyndia only knew they all needed to be ready at a certain time Friday night, and that a car would pick them up at their home in Dickson.

Jonathan had a co-worker, Mark, who had explained to them that Cross Point Church, where he attended, liked to do something for families in financial need at Christmas time – kind of give them a stress-free, fun, family night out. Cyndia had in her mind a trip to Applebee’s maybe, or O’Charley’s. She definitely wasn’t expecting anything like what happened.

A Mercedes-Benz SUV showed up. The Clarks climbed in and away they went. Away from Dickson, and eventually towards the Cool Springs area.

The SUV pulled into the parking lot of Audi of Nashville.

Kevin Gaither, regional vice president of Sonic Automotive, was one of those inside waiting for the SUV to arrive. A few weeks earlier, he had contacted his friend, Kevin Cook, the executive pastor of stewardship and operations at Cross Point Church, with a plan.

“We asked Cross Point to find us a family in need of a vehicle,” Gaither said. “About a week later I got a call from Kevin Cook who said, ‘Hey, I think we’ve got a family.’”

Turns out Kevin Cook had gotten an email from a member of the Cross Point campus in Dickson, Mark Atchison. Atchison told Cook he had a co-worker at Tennsco whose family was having a rough go of it.

He mentioned the four kids, his worry that Christmas might be tight for the family and the fact that their problems were compounded when one of their two cars had died a few months before.

“I asked if we had the resources or if he was able to pull together the resources to help the family out,” Atchison said.

He was thinking maybe the church could help buy some presents for the kids.

“The car was above and beyond anything I was reaching out for. It was completely unexpected,” Atchison said. “I was just trying to help out a family for Christmas.”

The Clarks’ two cars had broken down months ago, both within one hour of each other, Cyndia later explained. They were able to get their van, a 2004 or thereabouts Mercury Monterrey, fixed. But the other car had serious engine trouble.

For the next few months, Cyndia would spend two hours in the morning and two in the afternoon getting four kids loaded up into the van, dropping Kylan, 7, and Hayden, 5, off at school; her husband at work; and then Leyton, 3, at daycare. The youngest, Myla, 1, went along for the ride.

“A lot of sitting in the car for Ms. Myla,” is how Cyndia put it.

When the Clarks arrived at Audi of Nashville, there was a large group of smiling faces to greet them, as well as Santa Claus sitting in a chair next to a Christmas tree surrounded by presents.

After a brief period of shock wore off, Gaither’s wife, Autumn Ayres Gaither, started handing out the presents, and the kids started tearing into them with glee. The Gaithers had bought all the toys themselves.

At some point towards the end of the gift-opening frenzy, staff at the dealership opened up a couple of big doors in the back. Shortly thereafter, a 2014 Mazda3 with a huge red bow wrapped on the hood started to creep in.

Robert Hartman, general manager of the Audi dealership, presented the Clarks with the keys to their new car.

The couple was stunned speechless, walking over to the car, climbing into it with the kids and climbing back out.

“We get to take this car home,” Cyndia told the kids, who apparently didn’t understand what was going on.

The car, Gaither said, had been purchased jointly by local Sonic Automotive dealerships: Audi of Nashville, Mercedes-Benz of Nashville, BMW of Nashville, Porsche of Nashville, MINI of Nashville and Crest Honda and Cadillac.

“It’s Christmas, that’s what the season is all about, giving back,” Gaither said. “I’m just fortunate to be able to do this for somebody.”

As the presents were loaded into the trunk, Cyndia spoke to the crowd, which included several general managers from the other Sonic Automotive dealerships.

“I don’t even know what to say,” she said, tears coming to her eyes.

The year had been tough. She and Jonathan had only managed to buy the kids a couple of little presents for Christmas so far.

“This is definitely the best Christmas we’ve ever had and probably ever will have,” she said.

Jonathan was still basically speechless.

“Thank you for saying something,” he told his wife.

He would later describe the situation as, “Amazing, there’s really no words, it’s just amazing.”

For their part, Atchison and his wife, Tracy, were beaming pretty much the entire time.

“It amazes me what people can do when they pull together,” Mark said.

He was especially proud of his church, Cross Point, and its dedication to “helping those who really need it.”

As he watched the kids playing with their toys and climbing on the seats of their new car — kids he observed, “who at this age truly believe in Santa and the magic of Christmas” — he couldn’t help but marvel at the scene and how it came to be.

“All I did was send an e-mail,” he said.

Landon Woodroof covers Brentwood for BIGRMedia. Reach him at [email protected]