Chevrolet gifts new truck to teen who survived driving through Texas tornado
A GoFundMe has also been created to help the teen's family with medical expenses as he waits to see if he will need back surgery
Chevrolet gifts teen caught driving in Texas tornado with new truck
Chevrolet is giving 16-year-old Riley Leon and his family a new truck following the tornado.
ELGIN, Texas – After his red pickup truck was caught on camera Monday getting tossed around by a tornado, a Texas teenager is getting a new one free of charge.
You, along with thousands of others, might have seen the video of 16-year-old Riley Leon's infamous 2004 red Chevrolet Silverado.
The teen was driving home from a job interview at Whataburger on Highway 290 in Elgin, Texas, when an EF-2 tornado blew his truck onto its side and spun it around multiple times before getting flipped back upright onto its wheels.
Teen driver caught driving in Texas tornado shares his story
Riley Leon is happy to be alive after being overtaken by a tornado Monday in his infamous 2004 red Chevrolet Silverado.
WATCH: RED TRUCK DRIVES THROUGH TORNADO IN CENTRAL TEXAS
"I’m speechless," Riley said. "I'm speechless seeing how my truck got thrown like paper."
Now, Bruce Lowrie Chevrolet of Fort Worth, Texas, is donating a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT All Star Edition in cherry red to Riley and his family after he survived a powerful EF-2 tornado. The new set of wheels will be presented to Riley and his family on Saturday at the dealership.
'GOD GAVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE': TEEN WHO DROVE THROUGH TEXAS TORNADO DESCRIBES SCARY MOMENTS
The truck had been in Riley's family since before his sister was born.
"That truck helped me and my dad get to where we are now," Riley said.
Chevrolet said they were thankful Riley is safe and commended his driving skills during the frightening situation. The company is also donating $50,000 to the American Red Cross.
And the cherry on top? Riley got the job, according to a spokesperson for Whataburger.
FOX Weather verified a GoFundMe created to help Riley's family with medical expenses. It was started by his school nurse at IDEA Rundberg High School in Austin.
The teen did not go to the hospital after the incident because the family does not have health insurance. Since then, he has reportedly started to experience body aches and severe back pain.
According to the GoFundMe page, Riley has a fractured back and will be under a doctor's care. His family will have to wait and see if he will need back surgery. There is also a possibility that he may need future therapy.
FOX 7 in Austin contributed to this report.