MURRAY, Utah -- It was a Veterans Day to remember for one Murray family.
It all started with a contest for a veteran to get a new transmission. This year, sergeant Dylan Roe was nominated and won, but after local businesses heard his story they decided to do so much more.
“It was the first time I had ever experienced somebody was trying to kill me," Roe said.
In front of a room of fellow veterans, 24-year-old Sgt. Dylan Roe shared a painful memory about one of his deployments in Afghanistan.
“We made a right turn, and my vehicle struck an IED," he said. "Me being the gunner, I took a lot of shrapnel from it, I got tossed pretty good."
Roe, a Purple Heart recipient, a husband and a father to a 4-year-old girl with another baby on the way, works two jobs to support his family.
“I read his story and really found out about him and his family and what he had gone through, I thought we would turn it up and take it a step further,” said Dwight Rouse, Owner of Dwight Fleet and Auto Repair
Working around the clock, the community came together for a special Veterans Day surprise for Roe and his family. Cleaning out their car shop to make way for a surprise Veterans Day celebration.
“It's a small price to pay for someone who is willing to risk their life for you, not knowing you: It's a small price,” Rouse said.
In addition to a new transmission, local shops came together and donated time and thousands of dollars to add improvements on his car.
“I'm blown away, I had no idea they did that truck,” Roe said.
There were more surprises on the way. Thousands of dollars in baby supplies, toys and gift cards were donated to the young family.
“I don't feel like I deserve any of this, and it's just truly amazing what people pulled together and did this for me,” Roe said.
It's a Veterans Day everyone involved will remember.
“I would encourage everyone to help a vet out, whether it just be saying hi or talking to someone, it goes a long way when someone is hurting because you never know” Roe said.
