Last week there was a story on the news that went viral when a little 5-year-old kid in Utah decided to steal his parent's car and headed out on to the freeway as he said, "Go to California and buy a Lamborghini." He was swerving on the freeway, going about 35 mph, and eventually, a cop pulled him over. He had $2 on him at the time they stopped him. Crazy times! But then again, it's 2020, not even unusual that this happened. This is a story that has polarized a lot of people. Another side of this story is what took place after the news covered what happened. I saw the link on Twitter that night and sent it to a group of my friends, 3 of which own Lamborghini's, and I just wrote "#Legend!"
Within an hour, one of those friends, Jeremy Neves, wrote us all back and told us he was able to track down the kids' info through the lady that did the news story and he was heading up there the next day to give the kid a ride in his Lambo.
This kid does not come from an affluent family or area, and he isn't going to experience many privileges in his young life. Some people would say the kid needs to be punished and taught a lesson. We all saw this a completely different way. This kid exercised several life principles that most people never gain, even as adults. And because of this he got to experience a dream of his at just 5 years old all because he had the balls to go after it! Hell, when I was five years old, I was afraid to go into my basement by myself because my mom's cellar creeped me out. She had all this canned food storage, and those peaches looked like body parts to me. Needless to say, I didn't dare go down there alone, let alone take their car to California.
Let me also tell you a little bit about Jeremy Neves.
About three years ago, he heard about our little group and the work that we were a part of helping to rescue kids that are being sex trafficked all over the world. Within days Jeremy was in my office asking how he could help. He raised a ton of money, wrote out a check to Operation Underground Railroad that was enough to cover the expenses of an entire op, and he began doing all the work that we had done to be able to go undercover and help out in this cause.
When a kid was being bullied last year at Pleasant Grove high school, Jeremy was the first to help me raise money and get influencers involved in the cause. He also is the one that helped me host the party that was done in that kids' name a few weeks later.
Jeremy doesn't love attention; Jeremy loves kids. Jeremy loves to inspire, as do I, a generation of young people that are told every day what is wrong with them. They are told every day what they can't do. They are told every day to "play it safe" and not "get in the way." This is why Jeremy decided to jump all over this situation when he saw that this five-year-old kid was being crucified by adults all over the internet. In Jeremy's own words, "Now I understand why so few kids grow up and go after their dreams! Every news station has posted this story, and there are thousands of comments about "rewarding bad behavior" and "this kid should have been punished" and all sorts of hateful things about his parents and "the stranger with the Lambo... Want to know the first thought I had when I heard this story? This kid is going to live a happy and successful life! Why? Because he knows exactly what he wants! He's willing to do whatever it takes to get it! He doesn't let people who say "that's impossible" stop him! Courage to step into the unknown! Honesty! He told the police exactly what he was doing! AND then I thought... I want to reward and encourage habits of success! I want to help a KID continue to go after his dreams even though his first attempt failed! Oh, and his family might appreciate some support and love from their community after that scary experience! I'm a parent! I understand the importance of educating our children... I just choose to include education and encouragement for the great qualities NOT JUST the bad choices!" I love every part of this! My new book, due to be released later this summer, is titled, "You End Up Where You're Heading... The Hidden Dangers of Living a Safe Life." Hundreds of years ago, the safe path was to lay low, build walls around your settlement, and hunker in and hope that no wild animals or natives of the land would come and disturb your little peaceful world. Those that went out exploring very rarely came back. It was dangerous. Those times have changed. We live in a world now where playing it safe is choosing to die a slow death. Sit in your car, sit at work, get a check, pay some bills, plan a trip once per year, hope you can afford to go. NO THANK YOU!! That, to me, is a dangerous life. Playing it "safe." On their death beds, people don't regret the things they have done. This little kid is never going to regret his joy ride to go buy a Lamborghini. People regret the things they didn't do. So adults, instead of criticizing this little kid for going after his dreams, maybe learn a lesson instead. And maybe the reason this story upsets you, if it does, is because deep down you know you never had the guts to chase something you really wanted. Maybe it's time.