In 2001 Jonathan Rozier graduated from the Texas A&M and enlisted in the army. He was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 70th Armor Regiment, of the 1st Armored Division and happily worked his way up to Lieutenant.
When the Iraq war started in 2003, Jonathan was one of the many brave soldiers deployed to Baghdad from Fort Riley in Kansas. Jonathan’s father, David Rozier spoke to the Military Times about his son. “He wanted to have a career in the military, clear through to retirement. There were no limits to his aspirations,” he said.
Rozier did make a career out of his service and was one of a few honored with a Bronze Star for valor for “maneuvering his platoon of tanks directly in the line of fire to create a shield between a force of US Army foot soldiers and Iraqi Republican Guard soldiers at Al Hillel,” according to Jim O’Rourke, RVN US Army 1972-73.
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Unfortunately Rozier’s career was short lived when he was killed on July 19th 2003 during an ambush. He had just celebrated his 25th birthday and left his wife Jessica a single mother to a 9-month-old baby boy.
After his death, Jessica found herself struggling financially, not helped by an outstanding loan from her late husband’s 1999 Toyota Celica convertible which was left unused in her driveway. Jessica made the hard decision to return the car and Toyota allowed her to forfeit the loan on return of the car.
The ease of financial pressure meant she was able to use the money to pay for their son Justin’s daycare and general day to day expenses.
Now some 14 years later, Jessica was going through some old memories when she came across the car’s old registration. With the reminder fresh in her memory, Jessica thought how special it would be if she was able to track down the car as a gift for her son on his 16th birthday.
Jessica knew that the project would take a lot of time and may not even work. However, she was determined and took to Facebook to share her story and idea with the world. The story was seen by hundreds and in just a few days she was contacted with what she hoped was a promising lead.
A lady in Utah saw the story and believed the car was in her father’s possession. She contacted Jessica with all the details but advised her not to get her hopes up.
“It took me 12 hours to get the courage to call him. If I call and he doesn’t want to sell it then my hopes would be crushed,” Jessica told NBC News.
She eventually plucked up the courage to call the man and told him the story, but he asked for some thinking time. However, within an hour the man called back and told Jessica “I think your son will get more enjoyment out of having his dad’s car than I would.”
Delighted that her plan was working, she got in touch with Follow the Flag in Utah and together they started a GoFundMe page to raise funds to purchase the car. They encouraged potential donors by writing, “Imagine the feeling of holding the steering wheel of a car your late father once drove. A father you never knew. A father who died in the line of duty serving his country. What a priceless gift.”
Needless to say it worked and just over a month later Jessica was able to buy the car, get it fixed up and shipped back to her. The car arrived in time for Justin’s 15th birthday complete with a big red bow.
Even though Justin didn’t know his father, he longed for something that his dad once owned and cherishes everything his dad had owned.
To say Justin was left speechless is an understatement. Have a look for yourself.
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