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Stranger pays for local woman’s pricey car repair

Posted at 6:06 PM, Dec 31, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-31 18:06:54-05

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- It was another day on the job and another vehicle to repair for Jeff Mox at Fox Motors Saab. However, the repair job for Centhia Fleming's SUV ended in a way he said he's never seen in his 30 years on the job.

"Basically, the car shouldn't be driven because it puts a lot of wear and tear on the transfer case," Mox said.

Fleming is a social worker and single mother of two from Battle Creek.

"They told me it would come up to about $800 for everything to be completed. Now I have no way of having that type of money. I mean, the holidays are over. My hours at work have just been cut down. I'm just like 'Lord I have no way to pay for this,'" Fleming said.

The woman who's used to going the extra mile for her clients couldn't afford the repair and was being advised by the mechanics not to drive it the 80 miles to her home. That's because she could do even more damage. As Fleming discussed this, a customer sitting nearby overheard the whole conversation.

Dewey Anderson, the service consultant said, "[The other customer] said, 'I will take care of her bill.' So I was like in shock. I said, 'You mean you're going to pay her bill?' She said, 'Yea.' She took care of it. I went back and told her."

Fleming said, "Of course, I started crying tears of joy, and I just felt over-elated and felt blessed that this was taken care of for me."​

Anderson said he's never seen this kind of generosity in his 50 years on the job. He said the service center also worked to bring the price down.

FOX 17 learned about the customer's selfless deed through Facebook where Mox posted it on his page.

Mox said, "It's a caring community that we live in."

Fleming said she had a chance to thank that customer face-to-face.

"I prayed about this a few days ago. I said, 'Lord whatever needs to be done let it get done, and you'll make a way for me,' and he did. I told her that, and she said her family and her have been blessed lately and she was just happy that she could pay it forward and to just pay it forward myself to somebody else I can help in need," Fleming explained.

FOX 17 reached out and talked to the good Samaritan. She wasn`t looking for the attention but was just glad to help out.  She just asked Fleming to pay it forward. Fleming said she`s not sure how, but she will definitely make good on that promise.