NATIONAL NEWS
Chevrolet donating new truck to teen caught in Texas tornado
Mar 25, 2022, 8:06 AM | Updated: 8:29 am
Riley Leon was driving home from an interview at a Whataburger restaurant near Austin, Texas, when his truck was picked up by a tornado. (@brianemfinger/Twitter)
(@brianemfinger/Twitter)
ELGIN, Texas — A Texas teenager whose red truck was picked up by a Texas tornado is getting a new ride.
Chevrolet said it is donating a new 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT All Star Edition — in Cherry Red, of course — to Riley Leon.
“We are thankful Riley is safe, commend his driving skills during a frightening situation, and our hearts are with other families in Texas that have been affected by these storms,” Chevrolet’s Facebook post read. “To help aid the recovery efforts in Texas, Chevy Cares is donating $50,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.”
Riley is scheduled to receive the truck at Bruce Lowrie Chevrolet on Saturday.
The 16-year-old told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth he was leaving a job interview at an Austin-area Whataburger restaurant when he got caught up in the tornado.
A now-viral video showed the truck being flipped on its side and pushed around Highway 290 in the Austin suburb of Elgin, Texas.
Omg… just going thru my video. This is a story about a red truck and a tornado…. I CANNOT believe they drove away like that. #txwx #tornado pic.twitter.com/8h0nD88xFv
— Brian Emfinger (@brianemfinger) March 22, 2022
The tornado was just one of dozens that reportedly touched down in the South earlier this week.
At least four people were hurt in Texas while one person was killed after a tornado touched down in the New Orleans area.
A GoFundMe* has been set up by the school nurse at Riley’s school and family members to help him with possible medical treatment.
Nurse Bianca Jaimes said Riley returned to school following the incident, but he had to leave early due to back pain and body aches.
Jaimes said Riley’s mother told her he has a fractured back and will be under a doctor’s care. They will have to wait and see if he will need back surgery, and he may also need future therapy.
NBCDFW said Riley got the job and is scheduled to start next week.
*KSL TV does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
