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The happiest of endings.
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KIDNAPPING SURVIVOR DREAM VEHICLE MAKEOVER REVEALED AT CIC
Way back in 2003, 15-year-old Amanda Berry was a budding car enthusiast who loved spending time with her grandfather, Troy, as they both worked on his prized 1986 Monte Carlo SS. In fact, she was so enamored with the car that her grandpa promised to give it to her when she turned 16. Tragically, that anticipated event never took place. On the day before her 16th birthday, Berry was kidnapped and subsequently held prisoner for 10 years. Her disappearance and eventual escape made national
headlines and became an extraordinary tale of hope and survival. Sadly, her grandfather was diagnosed with dementia shortly after her return; as a result, he struggled to remember her before he passed away. Despite this devastating loss, she kept the beloved Monte Carlo, which by that time was in a greatly deteriorated state. Fortunately, collision repair students at Max S. Hayes High School in Cleveland would not let the vehicle fade into history. Under the guidance of auto body instructor Greg Boykin, dozens of students
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September 2021
Amanda Berry put in hundreds of hours – including on Saturdays – to fully restore the vehicle as per I-CAR standards. Although the Monte Carlo was ready to be revealed by early 2020, the class’ planned unveiling at the Summit Racing Equipment I-X Piston Powered Auto-Rama that March was shelved in light of COVID-19. Thanks to the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF), the revamped ride was finally revealed to Berry at a special ceremony at the July Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Cleveland. Appearing on stage prior to seeing the upgraded Monte Carlo, Berry expressed her deep appreciation for every student who gave of themselves to provide this special gift. “First and foremost, thank you to my grandfather, who’s now in Heaven. He’s watching down, and he watched all of you guys do all the hard work. For that, I’ll be forever grateful and thankful […] This is a dream come true that I actually didn’t think would ever come true.” Additionally, she thanked CREF Managing Director Brandon Eckenrode for his efforts to provide a fantastic venue for such an unforgettable experience. “Without him and the Collision Repair Education Foundation, I don’t think this could have ever happened.” H&D
