PHOENIX — Even though it’s nearly two weeks since Christmas, a Valley educator received a gift of a lifetime on Thursday.
“Wait a minute, what? There’s a sunroof?” Nathan Catlin said as he looked inside his own Toyota Avalon.
Catlin, a special education assistant at Mountain View Elementary School in north Phoenix, was surprised with a free, used and upgraded car from 3A Automotive and Diesel Repair through the shop’s Turbo Boost Car Giveaway.
“I don’t even know what to say. I’m flabbergasted right now,” Catlin said.
It’s a yearly giveaway owners Jimmy and Nadine Alauria do for those in the Sunnyslope community. People usually nominate those they believe deserve the car, and a few people put down Catlin’s name.
‘It’s always such an amazing feeing to be able to acknowledge somebody who gives so much of their life to make the world a better place,” Jimmy said.
“We’re just honored to help him forward his purpose and he is such a passionate individual. We were just really moved by all the things that people who nominated him had to say about him,” Nadine added.
Catlin has been working at the elementary school for five years, helping students with special needs and doing the hard work through the COVID-19 pandemic.
His mom, Julie, said it’s been difficult for him without a car, as she, friends and other colleagues have had to drive him, and scheduling for everyone is not easy.
“He just couldn’t save enough to get a reliable car that he could trust to get him to work and to school and all that stuff. It’s been hard,” Julie said.
Regardless of the lack of a vehicle, he never missed a single day. Now, he won’t have to rely on others to help make a difference in the classroom.
“I’ve been holding it this whole time,” Catlin said as he kept his hand on the car. “I love it so much. I’m going to treat it like my baby now.”