CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts and Farmers Insurance has given back to help Kansas City native Justin Padelli get on the road to success in a restored vehicle that will get him to school and work.
Padelli served in the Air Force as a munitions specialist, maintaining, storing, building and delivering munitions to the B2 aircraft. He was stationed at Whiteman AFB in Missouri. After two years of service, he was granted an honorable discharge to take care of his two-year-old daughter, Maddison, of whom he has sole custody.
Padelli’s divorce and subsequent custody battle left him struggling financially. In spite of that, he is focused on creating a positive future for himself and his daughter. Today, he is in school as a full-time student at Johnson County Community College. He has been getting by with an unreliable pickup truck for transportation. The heater and air conditioning do not function properly. The truck needs tires and is a gas-guzzler, consuming much of his income at the pump. He also worries about the fact that his truck does not have safety harness hooks for Maddison’s car seat, leaving him only the seatbelt to secure it.
Thanks to CARSTAR and the National Auto Body Council’s (NABC) Recycled Rides program, Padelli now has a newer, more dependable car that will help him save money, relieve his worries about his daughter’s safety and provide peace of mind that he won’t be stranded with her in the car.
“This is an amazing day,” said Padelli. “A friend who has been helping me deal with some personal issues submitted my name for the program. I thought it was a prank at first. I can’t believe it’s really true. This means everything to me, and I’m really thankful to everyone who made it happen.”
CARSTAR, which handled the restoration at its CARSTAR Metcalf company-owned store in Stilwell, Kan., worked with a team of industry professionals to repair the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu LS, which was donated by Farmers. Project partners included:
- LKQ Corporation/Keystone
- Cable/Dahmer Auto Group
- Dent Rescue
- CARSTAR employees Lenny Osborne, Cody Anzek and Richard McCleary, who donated their labor on the restoration
- CARSTAR installed four brand-new tires, new brake pads/linings and performed general maintenance
“It’s incredible to be able to work with our industry partners to make this project possible,” said Dan Young, senior vice president of insurance for CARSTAR. “We deliver a repaired car to a customer every 30 seconds across our network, but none is more special than delivering a NABC Recycled Ride to Justin and his daughter today.”
Young, a member of the NABC board, said CARSTAR presented 19 NABC Recycled Rides in 2014, and plans to do many more this year.
In addition to the vehicle, Farmers provided gift cards to Padelli, along with diapers and other products for his daughter.
