MASON CITY — Maddie Miller’s 16th birthday could hardly have been more sweet.
After cheerleading practice Wednesday her mom, Carla, picked her up and drove her downtown.
There in the parking lot at Harley-Davidson of Mason City was just what she was dreaming of for a birthday present: a snow-white Pontiac Grand Am GT. See Maddie with her birthday present in the photo, right. (Photo by Trisha Hagin.)
It had a huge red bow on the hood. Next to the car was a big sign saying, “Happy Sweet 16 Maddie Miller.”
“I was super-excited. It was exactly what I wanted,” she said.
She’d been wanting a white Grand Am for a long time, said her dad, Jim.
He explained that as luck would have it, Jack Reimer of the H-D dealership took in just such a car on a trade in December. “Mason City Harley was nice enough to store it until today,” Miller said Wednesday afternoon. “They fixed it up and put the ribbon on and did the sign.”
“It beats what my parents got me for my 16th birthday ñ a bicycle,” said Trisha Hagin, webmaster for Harley-Davidson, who took pictures of the surprise.
Just then a car sped down Federal Avenue, drawing attention of those gathered near the birthday gift before Maddie arrived.
“If you ever see this going like that, call me,” Miller said.
“It won’t,” Maddie said later.
She said she drove the car ñ still with the bow on it ñ out to Ruby Tuesday’s for a birthday dinner. It’ll probably come off today, though, as she planned to drive the new wheels to school.
Something to cheer about, for sure.|
