SHAWNEE, Okla. (KFOR) – Vehicle maintenance is one of life’s little frustrations.
We can all identify with bad timing on a big repair.
This Pay It Forward surprise begins with an Oklahoma woman who was feeling crunched by some expensive repairs to her car.
The Hibdon Tires Plus in Shawnee, Okla., serves a community in need.
Without wheels to get to work, life can be unmanageable.
It was for Shelly Avant.
She bought her Mitsubishi Galant on Facebook last summer.
By fall, she needed new struts and new tires.
“It would swerve all over the road,” Shelly remembered. “I was blowing tires left and right.”
Shelly had a friend with a Hibdon credit card who offered to pay for her repairs.
“I cried,” Shelly said. “I bawled that she was willing to help me do that.”
The repairs were quick, but by the time the Mitsubishi was fixed up, this so-called friend had split leaving Shelly with a big bill.
The manager at Hibdons, Roy Morris, had no choice but to keep Shelly’s car until she could pay up.
Two months after those repairs, Shelly still had not paid for her vehicle.
She fell on hard times and could not pay.
She wrote a letter right before Christmas begging Hibdons for help.
On page three, Shelly promised to “pay it forward.”
“Five days before Christmas, he gave me my car back, free of charge,” Shelly said.
The entire balance had been personally paid in full by the manager, Roy Morris.
“I couldn’t believe I was blessed. I was so blessed. I thought immediately I needed to do something,” Shelly said.
Roy Morris is the man of the hour around Hibdons Tire Plus in Shawnee.
Since he took over, this store is a whole new shop, profitable for the first time in years.
“We were going downhill and he turned this place around,” said Hibdon’s technician Thomas Dame. “He’s put his job on the line for us, and I really appreciate that.”
Roy never expected to get his money back, and he admits this isn’t the first time he’s paid for a customer in need.
“We’ve got to help the community (in the) best (way) we can, keep cars on the road safe so nobody gets hurt,” Morris said.
In fact, he plans to use this $400 cash from First Fidelity Bank to help more customers.
“I’m going to keep on helping the people in the area with it,” Morris said. “Naturally, I’m also going to take my guys to lunch. They’re the ones who worked on it.”
At the Hibdon’s in Shawnee they advertise “new management” for folks driving by North Harrison.
If you read between the lines, you’ll see they service people over parts which is an epic sale and an incredible way to run a local business.
Nominate someone for Pay it 4Ward!
Pay It 4Ward is a program through which KFOR-TV viewers can help someone they know who could use extra cash immediately.
Each week someone will receive $400 cash because one of their friends or co-workers wants to “Pay It 4Ward.”
When nominating, make sure to include your name, daytime phone number, who you nominate and why. Please follow all the criteria when nominating.
Email all that detailed information to us for it to be considered. payit4ward@kfor.com
Pay It 4Ward is sponsored by First Fidelity Bank.
