Marine Sgt. Nick Walsh was crazy about his car, a 1991 Ford Bronco. So much so, in fact, that he vowed one day he’d pass it down to his son, as an heirloom of sorts.

That pledge was seemingly torn asunder, however, when in 2007 Sgt. Walsh was killed by sniper fire while on deployment in Iraq. He was just 26-years-old. His son, Triston, was but 4-year-old.

Though Triston’s mom kept the car, it began to fall apart as the years passed by. Julie eventually took to Facebook to explain the situation and ask for some advice. Should she hold onto the car, knowing how much it meant to Triston and his late father, despite its totally unusable condition?

The community took note, and it wasn’t long before local businesses, mechanics, and dealerships were chipping in to restore the Bronco at no cost.

Julie wanted to surprise Triston on his sixteenth birthday, and took things one step further when she told him she planned to sell the Bronco so that she could buy him a vehicle that actually worked.

But the teen, who had gotten his hopes up so high and desperately wanted to drive his dad’s SUV, was so angry and disappointed that he refused to speak to his mom for nearly two weeks! He knew that having this car would make him feel close to his father, the fallen hero who died way too early.

In the video below, you can watch Triston being taken to a car dealership under false pretences … and the instant the curtain is pulled back to reveal his real birthday surprise.