Elizabeth Mulenga was about 15 minutes from home on April 13 when her car started to jerk as she drove near Chantilly High School in Virginia.
Frightened, she decided to pull over and put her hazard lights on. Many cars passed by as Mulenga contemplated what to do, but Chantilly senior Om Desai stopped. Desai was on his way to see family that Sunday, but rolled down his window to ask if everything was OK.
He noticed how concerned she appeared, and turned around to get closer. He asked her to open the hood and inspected it, and suspected immediately that the issue was an engine misfire.
Using the skills he learned in auto classes at Chantilly Academy, Desai helped Mulenga completely fix the issue on the spot. The Auto Collision and Auto Technology classes give students firsthand experience working in a garage.
“I’m grateful to know that I live in a community full of people that will go out of their way to help a complete stranger,” Mulenga said.
In order to confirm the issue was an engine misfire, Desai drove to his uncle’s house to get the necessary equipment. To Mulenga’s surprise, Desai’s hunch was correct. Then, the high school senior used Google to find the closest auto repair shop, which was AutoZone. He drove away again, leaving to buy the necessary coil with his mom’s credit card.
“It’s really fulfilling,” Desai said. “It’s the best word I can find. It just feels very fulfilling to help someone when they’re in need, because you don’t really know how it feels to be stuck on the road until you’re in their shoes.”
As his parents arrived and watched, Desai switched the part. Then, he asked Mulenga to return to the car and press on the gas to test it. It worked — as Desai had expected.
“I was just so grateful that he took time out of his quality family time to help a complete stranger,” Mulenga said. “I haven’t stopped talking about him to my family and friends, just about his kindness.”
Auto Technology teacher Samuel Little said the part Desai replaced cost about $70, but in a shop, the fix likely would have cost over $400. His classes work through various repair scenarios and how to talk to customers.
Mulenga wrote a letter to school leaders, describing that based on her experience, the program was having its intended effect. She said she wanted to make sure the school is “aware of the effectiveness of their program and how it’s impacting lives beyond the classroom.”
“The world isn’t how it used to be before,” Desai said. “If someone’s stranded on the road, whether you know anything about cars or not … at least you can comfort someone while they get help.”
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