Car Salesman Takes Time For Autistic Boy’s Birthday Wish
Ken Sarna is a salesman at Team Chevy in Vallejo, CA who helped a young man with enjoy his dealership experience. His mother thanked Ken on social media and now Sarna is throwing out the first pitch at an MLB game.
The story begins with a 19-year-old Michael Paul McLarney, who wanted to look at cars on his birthday. The young man is autistic and his family brought him to the lot with no intention of purchasing a vehicle and every hope that the dealership employees would be willing to let their son look around for his birthday. Ken Sarna, a salesman at the Team Chevy store was the right man for the job. Sarna reportedly spent an hour and a half showing the boy around. The young man was able to sit in cars and push buttons. He also reportedly knew more about the history of Cadillac and Chevrolet than Sarna.
The boy’s mother, Rhonda Gillingham posted on the Team Superstores Facebook page thanking the salesman Ken Sarna for his kindness. The post read in part, ” …He took it upon himself to make it the best birthday ever. I watched with tears in my eyes at the compassion of this man taking my son to each car. Showing him what each car did, talking to him, smiling, laughing, letting my son push buttons.” That post by Gillingham went semi-viral. As of May 28th, it has 1,449 likes, 179 comments and has been shared 293 times. The post is a picture of Sarna’s business card. In the comments Sarna receives a lot of support for his act of kindness towards young Mr. McLarney. The posted ranged from noting how nice the gesture was to saying that they will come to buy a car specifically from Ken Sarna.
Tonight, Sarna is throwing out the first pitch at tonight’s Oakland A’s – New York Yankees game and it’s due to his ability to show compassion and character. Sarna is doing so on behalf of his store and Chevrolet. He won the Mark of Excellence Award from GM as and “Everyday Hero.”
Sarna treated Michael McLarney like a VIP knowing that he wasn’t going to buy a car. The boy’s mother told the Times-Herald that this wasn’t the first time that she had taken him to a dealership to look at cars. The problem is, it’s the first time that her son was ever treated this well. Other salespeople reportedly didn’t want to waste their time showing him around or were afraid he’d break something.
What do you think of Sarna’s act of kindness? He took 1.5 hours away from selling for a birthday wish. Does your store receive visits from young people just wanting to look at cars? When that happens how do you react?
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I’ve known Ken Sarna for quite a few years. This is a great story and a very well done video by Driving Sales News. Nice job guys! Ken Sarna’s act of kindness isn’t a one time thing, he has been a productive member of the Vallejo community his whole life and comes from a great family. Ed Sarna, coach and mentor, Dan, fire captain, other brothers involved in the community as well. Ken Sarna has had wonderful upbringing and it shows in situations such as this.
Ken Sarna! Very nice article about a guy who has worked with youth, and given himself to the community time and time again. Ken Sarna is a great guy from a great family, so it is fitting to see a guy like Ken Sarna get recognition for being a good guy.
I read the original post from the boys mother online on Ken Sarna’s facebook page and couldn’t believe all the comments and likes. Very Cool!
Great story!
As I read some of the previous comments all that I could think is, I too am not at all surprised that Ken Sarna would take the time to do this to make someone else feel important. Every encounter I have had with him has been a very hospitable one. He always puts others need in front of his own. His is very genuine and compassionate. I wish there were more every day heroes like him in this town. He makes Vallejo proud!!! We need more positive coverage on stories like this about our citezens, Vallejo is filled with lots of great people just like Ken. God bless you and all the Sarna family.
I am not surprised to hear that Ken Sarna did something like this. This is normal behavior for Ken whom I have known most of my life. He always puts people first in his life and tries to put himself in the place of another and what they experience. I’ve seen it all the time with Ken. It’s what makes him such a great salesman. He truly understands all kinds of people. I am so glad that it was Ken that showed this woman’s autistic son around the car dealership as he loves children. I have an autistic cousin and I know what this mother means when people are not very understanding or kind to someone of special needs. I’m proud of Ken and his family is so honored to know he did this too. Thank you as well to the mother, Rhonda Gillingham, for letting people know about Ken and her son Michael.
Ken Sarna. OMG, this video made me cry. Ken Sarna is such a nice man, he helped our family in time of need a few years ago and we are so lucky to have met him when we did. Ken, thank you so much for what you did for this young man. You have been such a blessing and we thank you for who you are and what you do for people. I am sure this young man and his mother feel the same way we do about you. Ken Sarna does stuff like this type of stuff all the time and I am glad he is getting some recognition for his kind heart. God bless you Ken!
Thanks so much for being so awesome to our family Ken! And thanks for posting this. More people need to understand that it doesn’t cost anything really important, not time or effort. Nothing that really matters, to just give a piece of happiness to a person, no matter their differences.
Way to go Ken, You are a wonderful person. I can see you doing this act of kindness. I bet you never thought twice about it, just doing your job.
It doesn’t surprise me ken is an amazing man with a huge heart his kindness is ever lasting love this man go KENNN
Ken has been a blessing to this family and so many others. It’s beautiful to see this story continue to grow. Thank you for covering it!
Thank you for putting together such a wonderful video. Ken Sarna has become a friend to our family and will forever have a place in our hearts. Michael Paul went for a second visit to Team Chevrolet to hang out and go for a ride in a car. He also met the owner, Ken Ross. Mr. Ross spent time talking to us and gave MP a die cast car that has a special place in his room. This dealership is full of great people. I will never be able to find enough words to say thank you.