In 2017, my dad gifted me my first car, a 1972 Super Beetle. It was more than just a car; it was the one I learned to drive in. My dad affectionately called it the project daily driver. When he first brought it home, it had no fenders, no glass, and no engine. But he worked on it every single day so that we could drive it together.

Sadly, in 2020 before I had the chance to learn how to even downshift, my dad passed away. His loss hit me hard, but with the support of his best friend Ken Jansen, I kept learning how to drive and continued working on the car. Every time I get behind the wheel of my Bug, it feels like I’m with my dad again.

Earlier this year, I made some car friends and got encouraged to start taking it to shows. It’s been a challenging journey, especially after losing my dad, but every moment spent working on and driving this car feels like an extension of the love I have for him. There are many plans for its future, but it will always remain my project daily driver as a tribute to him.