New Puyallup parents get double Christmas gift

PUYALLUP, Wash. — A community banded around Puyallup parents after their car caught fire in the hospital, two days after their child was born.

These good Samaritans stepped in to deliver a Christmas miracle.

The couple had to borrow a vehicle from the new dad's brother to take their new baby home. But what he did not know was that his brothers were working with the owner of a used car dealership to get them new wheels.

She came into the world three weeks early. But Kennedy turned out to the be her parents' ultimate Christmas gift.

"She had to come early but she came out fine, healthy," said Travis Trent.

But then, Thursday night as he sat in his running car, his world turned upside down.

"The next thing I know," he said," I saw smoke coming out of the dashboard so I dropped the glove box and seen the whole glove box was full of smoke."

In fact, his vehicle was on fire.

"I was parked in the parking garage next to 20, 30 cars," he said. "And so I said this ain't happening here and pulled out."

He drove out of the garage. Good thing. Moments later his vehicle was engulfed in flames.

"The potential damage to other cars in the parking garage could have been huge," said Capt. Darrin Shaw of Central Pierce Fire and Rescue.

His plight captured the hearts of the Central Pierce firefighters who put the fire out.

"I reached out on social media last night and this morning," said Shaw, "and tried to get a lot to people to donate some money for them."

As it happens, Trent's brothers work for Sunset Auto Sales in Tacoma. When the owner found out, he decided to donate a car to the new parents. And his brothers sprang the surprise.

It left his girlfriend speechless.

"It means a lot," said Trent, his voice breaking. "We went through a lot last night.  And it means a lot that people care.

All of this happened at Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup.

Of course, firefighters say if you are in a burning vehicle, get out. But they say they are grateful Trent did get it out this time. Because a fire in that parking garage would have caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage.

So it's a good story all around.

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