Riley Leon, the 16-year-old who survived a tornado in Texas, has received the promised Chevy Silverado in a ceremony last Saturday, March 26, 2022, at Bruce Lowrie Chevrolet in Fort Worth, Texas. Leon and his family also received a $15,000 check from Chevrolet.
The turnover ceremony was attended by Leon's parents, Elvia Leon Martinez and Alfonso Zamora, along with Chevrolet South Central Region Zone Manager Erick Macias, Bruce Lowrie Chevrolet Vice President Randall Shapiro, and Chevrolet South Central Regional Director Don Wagner.
Gallery: Teen Tornado Survivor Receives Chevy Silverado
Chevrolet announced its promise to replace the truck through a tweet last week, along with a $50,000 donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund to help in recovery efforts in Texas.
Leon was handed over the keys to a new 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT All-Star Edition in Cherry Red. He survived a tornado on his way to a job interview aboard another Silverado.
The encounter was captured on a video that circulated last week. The footage saw a tornado passing through Elgin, Texas, engulfing Leon's red pickup truck. In a harrowing sight, the truck was tossed to its side, got spun, then flipped back to its wheels.
The extent of the damages wasn't apparent but the truck slowly drove away from the scene after a few seconds. Leon was said to have sustained a cut on his arm but was virtually unharmed after the horrifying ordeal. It was truly a memorable experience for Leon and Chevy wants him to make new experiences aboard his new Silverado – hopefully not with another tornado.
"When Riley’s Chevy Silverado was hit by 100 mph winds, its strength was tested like never before. Thankfully, he was able to walk away unharmed. Here’s to making memories in your new truck," Chevrolet said in a social media post.
