EATON COUNTY, Mich. — Life on the farm is best described as rustic. Wind through the weeds, chicken feet on gravel, a flag rustling as cars drive past.
And, for Josh Agnello on his Eaton County farm, the no-longer rusted bold blue body of a beloved birthright.
“Even if the car didn't look like this, you just feel so cool in it," laughed Josh, looking at his classic Ford Galaxie.
Not kept inside a safe, not on display in a glass cabinet, Josh knows his family heirloom is meant to zoom.
“I call it the grocery getter," he smiled, revving the engine. "Just one of a kind.”
The car is made especially unique by the people that ride in it.
“My dad bought this car in '91 we drove it as a family car for vacations and road trips," he said.
Over the years, it's been featured in his wedding photos, the background of shots of his kids growing up and many, many memories.
"I couldn't wait till I was old enough. I'm like, 'Dad, I want the car,'" said Josh. "I was, like, 15 years old."
That's around the same age Josh began struggling with a different birthright.
“I have cystic fibrosis. It's a life-threatening disease," he said. “Your parents both got to be carriers. Both my parents were, I think it's one in three chance kid gets it. My parents had three kids. I was the third and I got it.”
Josh would struggle for the rest of his life by pure chance. But soon on his side – a different chance.
"Make-A-Wish approached me and restored the car. Made my dream come true," he said.
Hundreds of miles have since passed under these tires — Josh had no idea how little they would have left.
“I heard the tire pop,” he said.
He swerved to the side of the highway, called a ride, and left to get tools to fix it.
"We headed back down the highway. No car in sight," Josh said.
It was an unbelievable moment for Josh — unbelievable even for Ingham County Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth.
“It's pretty rare where a car breaks down, the person goes to get the help to get the car running again, and they come back and it's gone, right?” said Scott.
Almost two weeks passed. Josh never stopped thinking about his car, or how it may never be his again.
His one-in-a-lifetime dream was gone. Until — it happened twice.
“I was just getting ready to put my boots on, and the Sheriff called me," said Josh.
“One of our deputies received a tip from the community member to a specific address just south of Mason, here in Leslie," said Scott.
One county away, covered in a tarp, Josh’s car was in a driveway — one tire still flat.
“Once you saw the color, you knew it was the car," smiled Scott.
“A matter of two hours later, the car was back in my driveway," said Josh. "From a dream to a nightmare to a dream."
“Too often, we deal with tragedies in this profession, but it's these victories that keep us going day and night," said Scott. “I'm going to guess the owner's taking it for a cruise to celebrate its return.”
In the quiet calm of the farm, a shock of blue and the roar of an engine stand out. But anyone could tell you — it's exactly where it belongs.
“I know people are like, it's just car. But to me? It's irreplaceable," said Josh.
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