Wright-Pat Associates Help Boy Live a Dream
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio – Exchange managers and associates served as shining examples of the core value “Family Serving Family” by giving a special little boy intrigued by cars a chance to live a dream.
Services Business Manager Sara Bateman and her team “hired” Trenton Hugel, 8, who has autism, as a mechanic for a half-hour at the Exchange’s Firestone service center. And what an experience it was for the son of Airman Tech Sgt. Bill Hugel and his wife, Danielle.
“Our newest little mechanic gave the ol’ Firestone truck a full-service oil change,” Bateman said. “Tire pressure and fluid check included! Our Firestone service team was amazing with Trent. They gave him the full experience of being a top-notch mechanic. Feeling the happiness coming from Trent is something I will never forget.”
Bateman and her team met Trent through Karen Long, a project therapist at the base’s Behavioral Health and Development Center. While working with Trent, Long noticed his love for cars and contacted the Exchange to see whether Bateman’s team could brighten Trent’s day and help improve his social skills.
“We put Trent to work,” Bateman said. “You can’t really put words to how amazing that day was for us. We honestly did it because there was a little boy who would give anything to be able to do what we made possible for him to do. It wasn’t about us. It was about Trent. When Kevin Kuzmik, my services office assistant, and I left Firestone, we felt awesome! It was an absolute pleasure for us to be part of Trent’s day. We put a smile on a little boy’s face and he put one on ours.”
Bateman said what she and her staff did for Trent also applied to his family.
“To his father and family, thank you for serving our country. This was a small token of appreciation for what you do for us,” Bateman added.
Feeling the happiness coming from Trent is something I will never forget.
– Sara Bateman, services business manager,
Wright-Patterson AFB
Allowing Trent, a minor, come to work in an auto-repair shop required approval from Firestone regional managers and base safety officials. The Firestone shop closed the parking lot to the bays to keep Trent safe.
The kind deeds of Bateman and her team have not gone unnoticed.
“I’m so proud of our team at Wright-Pat,” said Central Region Senior Vice President Ken Brewington. “They are truly a shining example of ‘Family Serving Family’ and a small slice of the heart of our great company.”
They are truly a shining example of ‘Family Serving Family’ and a small slice of
the heart of our great company.– Ken Brewington, senior vice president, Central Region
