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EYEWITNESS LOCAL NEWS
MUSTANG RESTOREDfrom Eyewitness News Online Community Helps Bring A Smile To Hero's Face Reported by: Videographer: Troy Morgan Web Producer: Katy Brown Reported: Nov. 11, 2012 6:31 PM EST
Hurricane
, Putnam County
, West Virginia
In Decemeber of 2010, the Brown family lost their home in a fire and almost lost their then 15 year old son, DJ. But this week, with the help of some fellow students, DJ got back something that was thought to be lost in the fire. "It's just amazing. Speechless. Never thought it'd look this good," said DJ Brown. Words were hard to find for DJ brown and his father, David Brown, when they both saw the newly vamped Mustang. "I'm speechless. It's more than we could have ever done with it. I'm just glad he's here to see it." And for DJ 's dad, this is about more than a car. This is about celebrating his son's life, which was nearly taken two years ago. "He got called the night he was in, that he was gone. They said he wouldn't make it out of the hospital for a year. He did it in four months." In 2010 the Brown's house caught fire. DJ ran back inside to save his mother and sister. At the age of 15, the Hurricane High schooler was considered a hero. But he was left with third degree burns over most of his body. DJ he fought back and survived. But his home and his prized car were destroyed. "They had a house fire. The house was totally burnt down. This car was sitting beside of it," said teacher Terry Rayburn. That is when the Putnam County Career and Technical Center decided to step in and help DJ out. The automotive class decided to restore DJ 's car and surprise him. "It was to be handed down I guess from father to son. So DJ was going to get it. One of the students in my class had known about it and had known DJ and he suggested that we fix this car," said Rayburn. It was a suprising gesture for DJ . "I didn't know nothing about who brought it in." And many of those who helped bring his car back to life didn't know DJ . Companies like NAPA, heard his story and stepped up to help. "It's a life lesson you know for the kids. I mean it really tugged at everyone's heart strings to jump in and help this kid out," said Roger Dunbar of NAPA. Now seventeen and a student, DJ continues to rehab from the fire but is doing great, as is mom and sister. DJ stays focused on the road and life ahead of him. MORE NEWS FROM EYEWITNESS NEWS
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