I have to share the conclusion of my amazing journey with the Eugene Weekly staff, its generous readers and the followers on the internet.

As you may know, my dear 24-year-old Honda Civic was stolen from me in March. That theft left me violated, depressed and isolated, and yet strong enough to write a letter to the thieves that the Eugene Weekly printed. Then, EW followed that with a lovely supportive letter of its own.

Within two days a gentleman, Jared, contacted me asking if I was the same “Jane Smith” in the paper, since my letter was now circulating on Reddit. He strongly suggested establishing a GoFundMe page. He wasn’t alone! Tanner at Eugene Weekly also called to tell me that they had numerous calls over that weekend with the same idea.

By Tuesday my tech-savvy son, Jeremy, had that up and running. I was truly overwhelmed by the generosity of the many donors who pledged their hard-earned money to help a total stranger. I thank each and every one of you.

The funds from the GoFundMe, along with my insurance compensation, created a down payment for my replacement car. Having searched the internet and inventory of dealerships, my son found a used Nissan Kicks available at Lithia Nissan right here in Eugene! Thanks to the salesperson, Kelly Winn, and a purchase price adjustment by Lithia, I was able to purchase a perfect car!

My new car fits me, is great on gas, comes with a long list of safety features and a lengthy manufacturer warranty, layered with another from the dealership so I won’t have to worry about repairs.

This path has restored my faith that there are good, caring people in our world. This has shown me once again what wonderful friends and loving family I have. It has also confirmed that prayer works and that I was, in fact, strong enough to overcome such adversity and regain my independence. I just wanted you to know.

Thank you all,

Jane Smith