West Deptford Father of Four Gets New Wheels for Christmas

"It's easily the best day of the year for me," said Jason Boggs, vice-president of the Woodbury-based Boggs Auto Collision Rebuilders.

For the tenth year in a row, Boggs Auto has donated a vehicle to a local resident in need of a new set of wheels. 

The community give-back is part of a nationwide initiative called Recycled Rides, which was begun 15 years ago by the National Auto Body Council as a way to put collision-damaged vehicles into the hands of needy people.

The vehicle, a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu with about 80,000 miles on it, had sustained a front-end hit and required about $6,000 in donated parts and 40 man-hours of labor to repair. 

"The guys who worked on this vehicle donated a lot of time," said Boggs; "weekends, nights, working through lunch."

To sweeten the deal, donors from the area also threw in a year's worth of auto insurance from Cettei & Connell of Woodbury—"a big, big deal" in the state of New Jersey, Boggs said—about $500 in gasoline gift cards, and other car-care related gifts, including free washes and oil changes.

The lucky recipient was West Deptford resident David Herbert, who works as an orderly at the Inspira Health Network. 

In addition to being "the best Christmas present ever," Herbert said it's the first car he's had since 2006.

The first six months of being without a vehicle helped him cut down from 250 to 180 pounds on his daily, three-mile commute, Herbert said.

But not having a set of wheels in Gloucester County wasn't a fitness statement. It meant the father of four was always asking for lots of help.

"[I was] calling everybody, hoping someone was available," he said. "If anyone was tied up, [the kids would] miss baseball practices."

"It's definitely a life-changing event," Herbert said.

Don't miss Herbert's reaction to unwrapping his new present. Click the video above to watch.