DENVER — The last few years have been filled with unfortunate surprises for a family who escaped domestic violence and experienced homelessness in Denver.
Michele Colvard learned her youngest of three children had sickle cell disease and the emergency shelterhotel they were staying at throughout the pandemic was going to shutdown, leaving them with tough decisions to make.
The family was in for another surprise Wednesday, but this time, it would positively change their lives.
The Colvard family met a Denver7 crew at the Peak Kia car dealership in Littleton, where Denver7 surprised them with an SUV vehicle that was purchased for them with the $10,000 Denver7 Gives viewers raised for the family. Peak Kia also assisted with reducing the price of the vehicle to match the donation.
"Everybody that contributed to us being able to have this vehicle, I'm so grateful to you," Colvard said. I can't tell you how much we appreciate it.
Colvard told Denver7 in September that she and her children drove to Denver in 2021 after she left her husband who she says was physically and emotionally abusive for years.
"It wasn't safe for them and it wasn't safe for me ... I just couldn't stay anymore," Colvard said.
When the family arrived in Denver, the only car they had broke down.
Getting her children to school required Colvard to accompany them on multiple public bus rides or walk them there, until Wednesday.
Colvard and her family were ecstatic to get in their car and test it out.
"It feels really good to like be able to know that we're moving up ... we're not going down," Colvard said.
The Colvard's also managed to find a place to call their own in Denver, one that will now have a new car parked in front.
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