Georgia Army veteran gifted car Veterans Day Weekend after series of tragedies

FAIRBURN, Ga. - One Georgia veteran is celebrating his best Veterans Day Weekend ever thanks to the generous donation of a car.

At the VFW Post in Fairburn Saturday morning, United States Army Veteran Durand McCall accepted the gift of a 2003 Chevy Cavalier from fellow United States Air Force Veteran Loni Doster.

"It means everything, because it's not just necessarily back and forth to work now," McCall told FOX 5 Atlanta's Alli Levine. "It's expanding my life to better things."

The local VFW Post worked alongside Southern Crescent Veteran Services to make McCall's dream a reality.

"This particular car had to go to this vet because when I read his story, I was in tears," Pat Baisden, CEO of Southern Crescent Veteran Services, said.

McCall deployed to Iraq with the United States Army in 2009. After returning home a few years ago, things started to go downhill. McCall lost his mother in 2020, and his family's home shortly after. The veteran who had so dutifully served his country found himself unhoused. As part of a diligent effort to get his life back on track, McCall has been waking up at 4:30 every morning to catch a bus, which takes him to a second bus, to get to work by 8 a.m.

As McCall made this onerous commute day in and day out, Loni Doster wondered how she would eliminate the car taking up space in her driveway.

"I'm a member of this VFW Post. I talked to Commander Baker and said, 'I have this car. I'm trying to get rid of it, but it has to go to a veteran,'" Doster explained. "He said, ‘I know just the person who needs the car.’"

The Post paid for all the necessary repairs.

"We knew it was going to take some monetary funds to do it," Commander Prentiss Baker said. "The post did not hesitate to obligate funds to ensure we got this car in good working order."

Beyond simplifying his commute, McCall hopes this car allows him to further his education and reconnect with his family in South Carolina.

"Our number one goal and priority is to look across the spectrum of veterans and address their needs because we know there are a lot of needs," Commander Baker said.

What better time to fill one great need than Veterans Day Weekend?

"Everything worked out perfectly, and it just happened to be Veterans Day Weekend. It's one of the best Veterans Days I've ever had," McCall told FOX 5.

Southern Crescent still needs vehicles for eight veterans. You can learn more about how to donate or volunteer with the program here.