Ho! Ho! Ho! It's 'Car Santa'

(CBS)  A car can tell a lot about a life, especially Jackie Goodyear's car, CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman reports in this week's Assignment America.

"He shattered my windshield. He kicked in my van," Goodyear says, referring to her ex. He was so abusive, and sometimes so violent, she says, that she'd take the kids, run to the car and lock the door.

"I would just sit in the car," and he would pound from the outside in. "And I drive around with that memory and that thought. And someday, I'll have a nice vehicle," Goodyear adds.

That someday was today.

Ten years ago, Terry Franz started Cars for Christmas. Franz owned a used car lot in Kansas City and, as a promotion, he gave away some cars to people who couldn't afford them.

"It's about how you can change somebody's life with something that simple," Franz says.

Today, Franz gets people to donate their used cars. Mechanics volunteer to fix them up and local charities help Terry find deserving recipients. There's no shortage of those: This year alone, his group has given away more than 200 cars.

"I do better at giving them away than selling them I guess," Franz says when asked what happened to his used-car lot.

When he arrived to give Jackie Goodyear her car, she was confused, Franz explains.

"What I saw when I pulled up was, first off, a very confused look on her face, like, what is this about?," Franz says. She began crying tears of joy when he gave her the car.

Goodyear was nominated by Hope House, a local women's shelter that's been helping her.

She hugged everyone — repeatedly — right down to the cameraman. She was so grateful to finally be rid of that ugly reminder of some tough times.

"It's beautiful, absolutely beautiful," Goodyear says. "Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."

"People always ask me why do you do it. Take a look, and it's self-explanatory," Franz says.

Terry's not a wealthy Santa, and because he's so much of his own time and money, Hartman reports, he's actually fallen behind on his own car payments — way behind — like he could lose it. ExxonMobil, sponsor of Assignment America, has agreed to completely pay off his loan.

[ktoth1]

I shed tears when I saw this! But...they were "HAPPY" tears for those in need!!!

It also has given me HOPE for my just recently high school gradute, son.

He is 18 yrs. of age and graduated w/a GPA of 3.7 in Honor Roll Classes from the top ranked Public High School here in Louisville, KY.

Yes, indeed, that was ONE big obstacle he & I(mainly HIM) had to overcome since finding out that he would suffer from Cerebral Palsy for the rest of his life. :(

I nearly lost him @ birth but boy did I pary & "beg" GOD for me to keep him. I made a PROMISE to do whatever & EVERYTHING it took(medically wise) to care, love, and sufficiently provide for my new beautiful baby boy & first born.

I think he believed in me & trusted me because he let me "keep him"!!!

Thank you, GOD. He has been one of the MOST precious gifts(along w/three others) and he's done SOOOO very well.

I like to let all know that he IS a fighter. He's determined, and he's VERY brilliant! However, there have been many setbacks, times of doubt(him within himself), and soooo many cruel people making fun of him. :(

He did attempt to pariticpate in sports and actually did really well while he was very young(age 4 yrs to 7 yrs) but when he realized the "competition" was difficult and that he couldn't "keep up" with only the use of one hand(his right), he "gave up". At least, actually, PLAYING the sports(b-ball, Soccer, Karate etc. just to name a few he's tried) but he STILL is holding on to his dream to attend college & major in Sports Journalism.

The difficulty in doing so(to be blunt) is...he cannot afford to take out a student loan, for he is on a fixed income and I being a single mother raising three other younger siblings can't neither.

Sure he would more than likely qualify for grants etc., but what about transportation to & from school? I could probably get him there sometimes but I'm working FULL time and in addition I have another special needs child, then there a two very young ones.

I have taken my son who has the cerebral palsy for years & years to occupationl & phyiscal therapy and have often STRESSED about just HOW much of a "normal" and productive my son will have once he'd become a man. He is now moved out into his own apartment, has done extremely well with his rent/utilities(paying them on time w/his nown disabilty funds) and he SOOOO bad desires to attend college AND work a parttime job but...no vehicle.

I have already, too, taken him to Frazier Vocational Rehab to begin his driving hours and installation of adaptions have been placed in my family vehicle JUST so we'd qualify him with getting that and it had to be done within a certain time from before state/government funds ran out. We have gotten so far with this process and he feels like his dreams of being able to finish his driving hours & obtaining his driver's license is "done the tubes" as he's put it. I cannot surrender my vehicle to him simply because I have the other special needs child and two other "babies".

At first my concerns were that my son may not ever be able to drive but found out that he was! Yeah! Then to get thus far and run into "other problems"/issues is heart wrenching. I see my son trying SOOO very hard and the hear the determination in his voice, yet disappointment, hurt & pain too that it just kills me! I hardly ever played the lottery but I do now faithfully, in extreme high hopes of winning & getting my son HIS car, so that his life would be much easier. The pain that it cause and I know this MAY sound awful & I KNOW in my heart that I did well w/him but I can't help to feel that MAYBE, maybe he'd been "better off" had GOD taken him on up to heaven back on 1-11-92??? I feel like I possibly have given him "false hope" but then again, I SURELY can't let him know & wouldn't dare let him know what my thoughts & feelings are now!

It just "kills" me to be his mother & can't only go so far with things FOR him. :( I've been able to help him in MANY other ways, always supportive of him, "catch him when he fell", and loved him unconditionally, and yes, I tell him ALL the time & that I'm very proud of him, but.....I can't do the ONE thing and it's very painful.

Gotta go...crying....

[sweetangel9]

hey car santa, i watched how you give cars out to prople who need them. heres my problem: my fiancee' and i have a beat up truck and monwy is short for us vause im 3 months pregnant and this is our first 1. its an 88 gmc, we put soo much money into the truck and it still breaking down, if u would like to know more please contact me at [e-mail], thank you.

Ashley

[mixfamily-2009]

Car Santa, You are doing what most of us just talk about, giving unselfishly. You are a inspiration to us all. I hope everyone see's this broadcast and helps someone it their community. Pass it Forward so to speak. Steve this is by far the best story you have aired this year. Don't lose track of the Car Santa , I have the feeling his story is just getting started. ExxonMobile you have my loyality , I will always buy your gas.
Keep it up,
Cindy

[donnalu32]

abc,nbc,cnn,fox,msnbc, and anyone else, Pay attention to what has just aired on CBS. News is not always bad . I wonder how many people will be inspires by the Car Santa and how many more people will start helping others. Thanks Katie for airing something good.

[carsanta]

Thank You Everyone for all the kind comments.
Meeting Steve was a great experience and I can tell you he is one of the most sincere and nicest guys I have met in the media. Thanks for the Truck payoff Steve and Thanks ExxonMobile, the Car Santa and helpers will only buy your gas in the future and I hope its a lot of gas.
Help bring us to your town.
Those of you that want more info see: www.cars4christmas.org
Car Santa

[mena13]

This is truely a great christmas story! It represents the true idea of giving. What great human beings Terry Franz and all his little helper are. Perhaps, there is a great lesson in his mission. Sometimes being kind requires proactive effort and that is what cars for Christmas is all about! I hope this kind of story will generate a snowball affect of loving thy fellow human and that it will inspire other networks to focus on the good news in the world as there is plenty of it out there.

Happy Holidays,


"be kind"

[yankapoo]

that's what christmas is all about?

[flyerkc54]

This is by far the best story CBS has done all year. Steve I dont know where you find these people but the people you find makes me proud to live in America. Play more stories like this we are tired of doom and gloom stories. We would like more info on the Car Santa. Don't lose track of this guy. Tell us more as he keeps helping people.

[selpats2]

Cars for Christmas was really a heartwarming, tearful, and just made us feel good.CBS really did a good job at presenting this story. Just hearing something positive was refreshing. Santa really did make a difference !!!

[rconti2]

I was at the event with friends... you missed half of the real story - MRS. CLAUS and her cute little elves!!! They said she was with the other organization there - Teams Together. (they had a banner on the wall) Mrs. Claus and her elves passed out presents to all the kids and the elves passed out cookies all day. They were great, and real cute - a nice touch from last years give away! I've heard of them, and they do a lot of good work in our community. They were the ones that gave the cars away in Louisiana last Christmas, as our new neighbor's cousin got one from them. He was from New Orleans and put into another town that he couldn't get around in, and the Teams Together people gave him a car.