Texas Teen Caught In Tornado Gifted Brand New Truck, Secures New Job

Riley Leon's red pickup truck was damaged after it flipped over when he was caught in a tornado in Elgin, Texas, earlier this week.

That truck was found with blown-out windows, dented side panels and a lack of rear-view mirrors, according to KXAN. When Leon spoke out for the first time after the incident, he opened up about how much the truck meant to him and his family.

He told FOX 13 the truck he got before his sister was born was "family." "That truck helped me and my dad get to where we are now ... to see that it's gone ..." he said. He added his family's insurance company took the truck away.

Good news for Leon and his family: Chevrolet is gifting a new truck to them. And of course, it's cherry red!

"Chevrolet, together with Bruce Lowrie Chevrolet of Fort Worth, TX, are donating a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT All Star Edition in Cherry Red to Riley Leon and his family after he survived a powerful tornado while driving in his Silverado. We are thankful Riley is safe, commend his driving skills during a frightening situation, and our hearts are with other families in Texas that have been affected by these storms," the company said in a social media post.

Chevrolet is also donating $50,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

The good news doesn't end there. The reason Leon was caught in the tornado in the first place was because he was on his way back from a job interview at Whataburger. According to FOX 4, a company spokesperson said Leon was hired at the Manor location, "but was awaiting confirmation from their Human Resources department that he has officially been hired."

Chevrolet will present the new truck to Leon and his family on Saturday (March 26) at the Fort Worth dealership.