Body shop restores late father's truck for teen

AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - To Daniel Alcantara-Lopez, his dad's truck, was more than just steel and aluminum.

“I just remember me and my dad going to our favorite little corner store. I'll be in the passenger seat with him, he was playing his cd's and the music he had back in the early 2000's, listening to T-Pain and all them, Lil Wayne,” said Alcantara-Lopez.

Tragically, in 2011, both of Daniel's parents were killed in Florida.

The only thing left to remember them by was his dad's truck.

But once it was later involved in a wreck, it was put out of service. “One time the motor just didn't want to start, it wasn't working. They put it in the shop and it's been there for three years,” said Alcantara-Lopez.

Over the last three years, Daniel says he has been saving money to get the truck repaired.

On Friday, what the aspiring mechanic thought was a visit to the Caliber Collision shop for a tour, turned into the surprise of a lifetime. With the help of donors, technicians at Caliber Collision handed Daniel the keys to his dad's truck, restored to "like new" condition.

“I felt like I was seven years old again. It was amazing just starting it up. I remember when my dad first started it up. It just felt nice, hearing it again."

“I knew he wasn't going to expect it. Because soon as he walked in he just pointed at me like what are you doing here?” said Elizabeth Montes, Daniel’s sister.

Caliber Collision started the project months ago as part of their Recycled Rides program. “When it was presented to us it was a no brainer that yes, immediately we want to get involved, “ said Jon Webber, Regional VP, Caliber Collision.

Since his parents' untimely death, life has been challenging for Daniel and his siblings. Now with their dad's truck back in service, he can continue to reflect on childhood memories, with the truck looking how it did when he was little.