Students surprised their teacher with a $17,000 car
This is the heartwarming moment a group of students surprised their teacher with a $17,000 car after being separated from him for two months, due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Around 100 students clubbed together to present Eric Ling, a business and economics teacher, with a Honda Civic as a thank you present.
Eric's wife Shanna led him blindfolded to a car dealership where his current and former students cheered for him.
They presented him with the vehicle with a sign on the windshield which read: "We love you Mr Ling, thank you for all that you do!" Eric, 35, of Rootstown, Ohio, said: "It was overwhelming to feel that much love from that many people.
"At first when Shanna took my blindfold off, I thought the surprise was the kids.
"Then I saw the car in the middle, and it took a minute for it to register.
"Teachers often don't get to see the impact we have.
"We might get an email or a card but this car symbolizes so much love." One of Eric's students at at the Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy messaged Shanna, 35, who is also a teacher, and told her about the plan to give him the 2017 Honda Civic.
Shanna said: "I just stared at the message, I literally had no words.
"They wanted to present the gift to him.
"We haven't been able to see our students for the last two months because of coronavirus, we've had no closure after the school year." Shanna helped the students organize the gift-giving by leading Eric blindfolded to the car dealership on May 23.
"I blindfolded him and took him to the dealership.
"I thought there'd be around 20 kids but we pulled in, and there had to have been about 100 kids there with all these balloons and signs.
"What's crazy is that they were so incredibly silent - he had no idea they were there.
"I pulled off the blindfold and they all yelled 'surprise!'
"It was overwhelming in a beautiful way." Eric was astonished that his students were able to raise the funds for such a generous gift and pointed out that it was the perfect present as he needed to replace his old truck.
He said: "I'm the youngest of eight kids and I've had hand-me-down cars my whole life.
"The truck I've been driving for the last couple of years was given to me by Shanna's dad.
"The power steering had just gone out and the air conditioning was broken.
"Over one hundred people donated to the GoFundMe and they did outside fundraising as well.
"It is mind blowing to me." In Ohio public school teachers can make as little as $21,000 USD per year, according to Zip Recruiter, a national job search website.
This is the heartwarming moment a group of students surprised their teacher with a $17,000 car after being separated from him for two months, due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Around 100 students clubbed together to present Eric Ling, a business and economics teacher, with a Honda Civic as a thank you present.
Eric's wife Shanna led him blindfolded to a car dealership where his current and former students cheered for him.
They presented him with the vehicle with a sign on the windshield which read: "We love you Mr Ling, thank you for all that you do!" Eric, 35, of Rootstown, Ohio, said: "It was overwhelming to feel that much love from that many people.
"At first when Shanna took my blindfold off, I thought the surprise was the kids.
"Then I saw the car in the middle, and it took a minute for it to register.
"Teachers often don't get to see the impact we have.
"We might get an email or a card but this car symbolizes so much love." One of Eric's students at at the Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy messaged Shanna, 35, who is also a teacher, and told her about the plan to give him the 2017 Honda Civic.
Shanna said: "I just stared at the message, I literally had no words.
"They wanted to present the gift to him.
"We haven't been able to see our students for the last two months because of coronavirus, we've had no closure after the school year." Shanna helped the students organize the gift-giving by leading Eric blindfolded to the car dealership on May 23.
"I blindfolded him and took him to the dealership.
"I thought there'd be around 20 kids but we pulled in, and there had to have been about 100 kids there with all these balloons and signs.
"What's crazy is that they were so incredibly silent - he had no idea they were there.
"I pulled off the blindfold and they all yelled 'surprise!'
"It was overwhelming in a beautiful way." Eric was astonished that his students were able to raise the funds for such a generous gift and pointed out that it was the perfect present as he needed to replace his old truck.
He said: "I'm the youngest of eight kids and I've had hand-me-down cars my whole life.
"The truck I've been driving for the last couple of years was given to me by Shanna's dad.
"The power steering had just gone out and the air conditioning was broken.
"Over one hundred people donated to the GoFundMe and they did outside fundraising as well.
"It is mind blowing to me." In Ohio public school teachers can make as little as $21,000 USD per year, according to Zip Recruiter, a national job search website.
