Mother Of 3-Year-Old With Cancer Surprised With New Car
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NORTH HILLS (KDKA) -- Three-year-old Isaac Rager, of New Castle, is battling stage-three liver cancer after being diagnosed just last year.
"Things that you would think a normal kid could do, it's just kind of a struggle for him because he had to go through a more intensive chemotherapy because of the tumor rupture," Vanessa Watkins, Isaac's mother, said.
But Watkins didn't have reliable transportation to get him to and from doctor's appointments.
So "Jamie's Dream Team" orchestrated a large surprise at Jim Shorkey Auto Group in Ross Township.
"I came up with the idea [of] instead of just worrying about fixing their car, let's raise enough money to get them another car," Todd Holland, of Jim Shorkey Auto Group, said.
After raising around $18,000, they presented Isaac's family with a new Mitsubishi.
"I always tell people, trust your instincts. You know your child and you know what's right and what's not right and if you feel like something is wrong, don't ever give up," Watkins said.
Mike Engle, general manger of the Jim Shorkey North Hills store, felt a personal duty to help the family.
"I had a mentor who taught me that the only real reason, the only great reason to make more money is to give more money," he said.
Isaac and his family are eternally grateful.
"Coming together, rallying around my son, that gives me hope. That gives him hope. It just gives us all hope that this will be OK and we will beat this," Watkins said.