GALAX, Va. – Right outside the God's Storehouse Soup Kitchen in Galax, the community gave Denise Hood her new car. According to Kisha Johnson, who organized the donation, Hood was surprised by the generosity of her community - but even Johnson was surprised by what happened next. The $900 donation went up in flames.
"She says the car's on fire, and I'm like no way," said Johnson.
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It happened just a day before Hood said she was planning to take her new car to be insured. "The man that had brought the car over there, he was driving it over to Kisha's mother's house to park it until we got the tags the next day, so he didn't make it," said Hood. She said the fuel line on the car broke, and the result was a total loss.
But Johnson isn't giving up hope. "When something like this happens, and it's easy to get discouraged, we just have to be reminded that whatever seems like bad can always turn around for the good," said Johnson.
She said she's praying that good will come in the form of donations for a replacement car - and people are already trying to help. "We've had several people that have called saying they'll donate and they'll help for another car," said Johnson.
Hood said that donation would change her life. "I have doctor's appointments and I have a mother who's 80 years old and like 150 miles away. I could go see her. My grandchildren, I have grandchildren all over, I could visit. I mean everything, a car would mean everything," Hood said.
Even though that donation may be a ways off, Johnson said she's still putting her faith in the community. "We believe that there's going to be some beauty that comes from these ashes, and we're just waiting for it," said Johnson.
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