How Has A Car Saved Your Life Or Helped You Out Of A Really Rough Patch?

While looking through our YouTube archives, I stumbled across a video we shot of a man whose car helped him fight and beat cancer. So I wondered, do you have a story to share too?

Alex Kersten

11 Oct 2016

Cars are special to people like us. They have character, charm and quirks. They irritate us, they lift our mood when we’re feeling low and they make us shout out in anger when something breaks.

Sometimes, however, the bond between man and machine goes far deeper. In the video you’ll have seen above, Jon Livermore’s Evo helped him combat and overcome the toughest fight people face every single day: cancer.

And so then I wondered: how has a car saved your life or helped you through a really rough patch? I’m interested to hear your stories.

Comments

I think cars themselves, meeting this community, has already helped me out of a rough patch. I’ve been a petrolhead from a young age, everyone knows that, but one thing I’ve never told practically anyone is that, well, I don’t hail from a ‘Normal’, no conflict past, I come from a…Shattered, past. 3-4 years ago, my mother had an accident, and, at the tender-ish age of 8-9, I was traumatized, naturally, I don’t want to say anymore about this, it still can bring a tear to these eyes, because even years on, I’m still recovering from the shock, I’m still picking up the pieces, even though, on the face of it, I might have moved on, and, when I met this community, I realized something. With cars, I could put down the past, leave the past behind, no matter for how long, and that, has been the best I’ll probably ever feel, its the whole reason I read TG Mag and all the car magazines I read anywhere and everywhere, because it helped me out of that state, I owe it so much, the least I could really do, is read more, learn more, and then do something relating to it, as my way of ‘Making it up to them’. It’s possibly the whole reason I started writing about ‘Them’, 4 months ago, as my step, to ‘make it up to them’. That feeling, probably remains the best I’ll feel for now, and I’m thankful for that.

Joel you are a hero m8 love you #nohomo

Cars have helped me too specially recently through the depression that I have been avoiding to mention . The cars where the only thing that seemed to be the only light at the end of the tunnel, the things that helped me sort of stabilize after I attempted suicide. They were the thing that made me think straight and the think that could make me think of my future. This community (when it was in it’s prime) was where I learnt all the basics and even more technical side of cars that distracted me form the things that made me think of really dark things. It’s good to know that I’m not alone. I guess the whole community made me feel like I belonged somewhere and that I am not alone.

Just keep on driving and don’t look at that rear view mirror where you can see that past… And if u feel like that past is coming to get you, just step on that gas pedal and show it who’s faster!!

Comment of the year right here

I remember ct staff posted this video like last year lol

I personally don’t have a story myself, but maybe in the future. Maybe it’s helping the fact that I am still more single than an over head cam. Who knows lol…

My story:

I remember when CT was a good app, now good people are leaving & you won’t do anything about the trolls & reposts. Before the iOS update, everything was amazing. Of course there are good iOS users, no doubt. But still.

I used to love this community, but it’s disintergrating itself slowly… Idk how long this app will keep being a friendly place, but if we don’t do a change, it’ll fall for the reposts & trolls.

People are pouring out their hearts and you’re bitching about an app.

That’s not very community mate.

For me it wasn’t a car exactly… but 2 persons. During my early teenage years, I was wondering what to do next in life. I thought to myself that there has to be something else in life other than applying for a job in a company.

I was watching the ‘behind the scenes’ for the short movie: “Pagani vs Lamborghini: Need For Speed Hot Pursuit”. In it I saw Horacio Pagani, the man behind the company talk about the Zonda. His passion to build his own cars in his own image and have a passion to do so simply inspired me and made me look deep into it and ultimately after knowing everything and all the struggle he’s been through in his life to get to where he is inspired me to do what he did - start my own supercar company.

Later I found out another similar car brand, Koenigsegg and saw what amazing innovations and engineering he’s done. His innovations again inspired me to think that if he can come up with so many solutions for a car, surely I could do it too. And from day on, I’ve done a lot of research and development in automotive, computer, electronics, applications and aviation so that even I may contribute to the world of automotive industry and beyond that through entrepreneurship.

So yeah, both Pagani and Koenigsegg helped me dilute the dilemma I had with my career choices. :D

And as always, CT has helped me with my depression and anxiety issues I had during my childhood as I had no one to talk to about my passion for cars as out of fear, I would keep myself isolated or share it with a few people I know who liked cars in general. It was a really tough time till November 2012, I stumbled on Car Throttle. I thought to myself - “I love these recent start up brands like Pagani and Koenigsegg a lot… surely it would be the same with this amazing website too. I’ll give it a go”. And before you know, I already had a place to unwind myself and be an open car guy despite my loneliness here and lack of friends to share about my passion for cars. This passion and loyalty for CT I have ever since the day I joined also has given me the opportunity to be a moderator as well… something I never would have imagined I would do online lol. So huge thanks to you Alex, Adnan and Gabor for this opportunity. :D

My Beetle was a gift from my mother right before she passed away in May from cancer as a parting gift. I’ll never sell it. I’ll modify it in her honor, not make it batshite crazy but just cool because she never liked speed. It’ll probably save my life because it’s slow af and will remain that way because of her, and so I can’t get to fast enough speed to be dangerous lol

I wish you good luck with that!

Im sorry to hear that and best of luck with your beetle :)

Alex is there any way I could message you my story? Not sure I’d like to post it!

Actually never mind! I’ll trust my CTzens!

So basically this is my story.. a few years ago my mother was diagnosed with cancer. I was only 15 at the time, and I was struggling to cope with it. Actually, both my father and I were having a very tough time. So to cheer us up, my dad bought an old Celica for us to restore. Long story short, I don’t think my dad and I would have made had it not been for all those hours we spent in the garage.

When we thought it was all over, my dad had a heart attack. Through his time in the hospital, the Celica kept us both going. The idea of finishing up the project car motivated him and it may be what allowed him to push through. Meanwhile, working on the car allowed me to organize all my thoughts and if it wasn’t for that car I may have fallen into a bad depression.

Nowadays, working on and driving the Celine helps me with everything in life. If My dad hadn’t bought that old Celica, my family would be very different than what it is now.

My story

I can’t afford a car

The end

The. Best. Joke. I. Ever. Heard.

In my case was a Chinese brand motorcycle. Forgot about quality, branding and stuff. My dad and I bought it so we could have a project and get more together as dad and son. So yeah is cool to say that Chinese crap saved my son-dad relationship

My dad passed away when I was 10 (I’m now 15) and before he died, he got a 2012 Mustang, so I whenever I see a Mustang, I think of my dad. I want a mustang when I grow up (no, I won’t kill anyone at a car show)