MONTREAL – A single father and his son woke up to a nightmare bright and early on Monday morning.
The family’s adapted van was stolen while parked in front of their home in NDG.
“This morning, we woke up early to prepare Fernando to go to school,” said Carlos Ruiz.
“At 5:30, I looked through the window of my apartment to check the weather and I noticed that my car was not there.”
At first, the father, who has joint custody with Fernando’s mother, didn’t want to tell his son.
He wanted to spare him the bad news.
But on his way to school, the 8-year-old boy noticed his beloved van was gone.
“I don’t understand. It’s an old car – 1993 – the value of the car is nothing,” said Ruiz.
“The value of the equipment is expensive because it’s adapted for a wheelchair.”
The white Dodge caravan has a raised roof and wheelchair ramp.
Fernando’s father had just finished installing a large television and DVD player inside the vehicle when it was stolen.
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“He really enjoyed to drive in that car because he was very comfortable. It was his car watching a movie,” said Ruiz, who has filed a police report.
When reminded about the incident at school, the 8-year-old boy and staff members were in tears.
“Just before Christmas, it makes no sense, no sense,” said Geneviève Martin, Fernando’s teacher.
“His father, twice in the last few weeks gave us lots of food for the people in need and unfortunately he had the misfortune of losing his car by a thief,” said Martin.
The Ruiz family has one-way insurance on their vehicle, meaning their car isn’t covered in case of an accident or theft.
“I don’t understand how they can do that to a disable person, especially a kid and especially at Christmas,” Ruiz told Global News.
Fernando’s teacher now hopes the community will come together to help.
“I hope people will help Fernando and his father to have a new car for Xmas,” said Martin.
The family is praying for a Christmas miracle.
If you’d like to help out the family, click here.
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