Justin Rozier, a young man from Moore, Texas, never had the chance to meet his father, Army 1st Lt. Jonathan Rozier. Jonathan tragically lost his life while serving overseas when Justin was just nine months old, leaving him and his mother, Jessica Johns, behind. Jessica had informed her husband about their beloved son just 12 hours before he passed away. While this story dates back to 2017, its significance remains as powerful as ever.
Following Jonathan’s unexpected passing, Jessica found herself in Moore, Texas, grappling with the emotional and financial challenges of life without her husband. She had to navigate the difficult task of moving forward, and one of the decisions she faced was what to do with her late husband’s cherished 1999 Toyota Celica convertible.
«I didn’t want to keep pouring my resources into a car that nobody was using,» Jessica explained to NBC. «It was just sitting in my driveway.»
For the next 14 years, the car that her late husband once drove sat idle, with Jessica focusing on the demands of life, paying little attention to the vehicle.
Fast forward to a teenager named Justin Rozier. He had always yearned to connect with the father he never knew and cherished every memento of his father’s life. He possessed his father’s dog tags, photographs, and other precious keepsakes, but one item held a particular fascination for him: his father’s car. Justin couldn’t explain it entirely; he simply longed to sit in the same seat as his father, in the same car. Just a month shy of his 15th birthday, Justin had already obtained his learner’s permit and planned to get his driver’s license the following year. His father’s car would be the perfect rite of passage gift.
Although she knew her chances were slim, Jessica decided to make an effort to secure the car for her son. She felt a compelling need to try for her son’s sake. She shared her story on social media, and Justin’s story quickly gained national attention.
«I mean, it could have been a 1974 Dodge Astro—I’m not even sure if that’s a car—but it could have been anything, and he would have said, ‘Yes,'» Jessica told CBS at the time.
