A teenager living with her mum in New York and separated from her carpenter dad is to get a permanent reminder of how much he cares about her when he drives from Peru to visit her in a workable and life-size wooden VW Beetle.
According to local media in Peru, 56-year-old Bienvenido Ortega promised his daughter Eneli that he would drive the wooden car to her current home – some 3,500 miles – when he visits her in New York for her 15th birthday.
Bienvenido, who has lived in Peru since 2010 and has been a skilled joiner for over 40 years, said that his daughter had wanted something special made by him and when he asked what, had been told her dream was to have a wooden VW Beetle.
It is unclear whether she meant a toy, but dad Bienvenido took the plea to heart and set about creating a life-sized working model.
The talented dad, originally from the Dominican Republic, has reportedly spent over eight months on the project and will take it to the US in about two months when his daughter celebrates her birthday. She lives in the US with her mother from whom he is divorced, as well as her grandmother and her three brothers.
Bienvenido meanwhile has remarried although his wife is said to be supportive of his planned trip to America, but wants him to return quickly because she will be heavily pregnant by then. It is believed he will return by plane after leaving the car behind.
He told local media: “My wife supports me in this madness and she wants me to finish the story, enjoy it with my daughter and then return quickly because she is already five months pregnant.”
According to reports, the car has the names of his nine children so far carved into the boot.
Netizen ‘Leonel Bo’ commented: “Excellent! Congratulations and enjoy your trip!”
‘Sergio Muratore’ said: “Incredible stuff!”
It is unclear where exactly he lives in Peru but if he succeeds, it would be quite the feat as the distance from Peru to the United States by air alone is 5,560 kilometres (3,455 miles).
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Angjela Trajkovska, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
