FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): 19 year old Nick Combs of Fort Wayne received the gift of a new car from Santa Claus on Friday. Seriously.
Nick has been the Little Brother in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana mentoring program for the past nine years, and has been matched with Big Brother Bob Gudorf, who also has served as Santa Claus at Glenbrook Mall for the past four years.
Gudorf has continued to help guide Combs through graduation from Bishop Dwenger last spring, and into the business management program at Purdue Fort Wayne.
They’ve been able to help each other through some rough spots along the way, and another presented itself about four months ago when Combs’ car finally gave up its oil pan for good after 213,000 miles. Originally presented by a family friend a few years ago, the cost to fix it would have been prohibitive. Combs has been riding to work and school with the help of friends, co-workers and his mom or he’s been walking.
Combs found a possible replacement, but the mechanics at Don Ayres Honda, 4740 Lima Rd., found a ton of problems. They suggested a 2007 red Toyota Camry with 170,000 miles but which had been well taken care of by two previous owners.
Along with help from Don Ayres Owner and President Sara Ayres, Gudorf presented Combs the car’s keys this morning. Combs immediately got in and left for his job at the Catholic Cemetery where he’s worked for five years. In fact, he usually works two jobs because he’s helping his family’s rent.
“My Used Car Sales Manager Carlo Borg came to me and all along I got the sense that Carlo felt it was a very worthy opportunity for us to help out with,” Ayres said. “Big Brothers Big Sisters is such a wonderful organization, and it’s excellent to have the opportunity to help make a truly worthy Little Brother’s life a little easier with reliable transportation.”
Don Ayres Honda also pitched in with oil changes for the life of the car.
“I continue to be inspired not only by the generosity of our entire community, and in this case Sara and her team at Don Ayres Honda, but by the ever-lasting impact and life-changing difference that a simple relationship provides,” BBBSNEI Chief Executive Officer Josette Rider said. “And the best part, at the end, both lives are changed, all because someone answered the call and signed up to mentor a child they didn’t even know. If now is not the right time to consider becoming a Big, then please consider helping in other ways such as Bowl For Kids Sake, wrapping Christmas presents or by just volunteering.”
Gudorf said he just stepped up because he considers Combs to be a regular part of the family.
“I just thought, `Good God, he’s going to get into more debt,’ which he doesn’t need,” Gudorf said. “I talked to my wife (Karen) about loaning him the money, but she said, `Why don’t you just buy it for him.’ I think I did the right thing. He was so thankful, and I got a nice hug out of it. The best feeling in the world is giving.”
Combs said Gudorf has a heart of gold he shares with everyone.
“He’s always shown me the joy in giving more than anything else,” Combs said. “He has really shown me how great charity can be.”
One of their early regular match activities included delivering meals, and Combs said he still remembers the way people’s smiles would light up as the two of them approached the door.
“Bob has really helped me care about the wellbeing of others and why it’s important to give back,” Combs said in his BBBS graduation notice last spring. “He has just changed my entire outlook on life, and I want to make him proud.”
Gudorf said that Combs is already doing that. Combs helped the Gudorfs move last summer, rarely letting Bob pick up anything, knowing he has a bad back. Combs also regularly helps out around the yard and shoveled quite a bit of snow this winter.
“All I have to do when I need something is ask Nicholas and he comes over and does it,” Gudorf said. “He’s always willing to do it. I don’t think he’s ever told me no.”
During their match time as Combs was growing up, they’d attend lots of Komets hockey, soccer and Cincinnati Reds games and talk over countless meals.
Combs said eventually he’d like to be a funeral home director, in part to continue helping people.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana is a nonprofit organization serving children in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wells and Whitley counties in Indiana and Branch and Hillsdale in Michigan. Its mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. To learn how you can positively impact a child’s life, donate or volunteer, go online at BBBSNEI.org or call 260-456-1600.
