Local Navy veteran honored with the surprise of his life

STONINGTON, Ill. (WAND) — You might never hear a laugh as joyous as Ron Smith's. As his wife hands him a cup of water, he clears his throat to speak. "Never had a complaint! We made bad guys be the good guys..." said Smith with a smile.

Smith is a former Navy veteran, but also a familiar face across Central Illinois. He worked in Law Enforcement in Christian County, Decatur, and Taylorville.

"He's a brave man.." shared his daughter, Ashley Tripp. "He's been a brave man my whole life."

Smith has been serving the country, and community, for years. Now, it's time for his family to serve him.

The Navy veteran was falsely diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Years later, the family finds out Smith has Lewy Body Dementia; a disease impacting memory loss, speech and behavior.

His wife, Rhonda, now his full-time caretaker. "I have to reassure him all of the time how much I love him... tell him who I am...even my name..." she says as she tears up. "Because he forgets sometimes."

But, the Smiths wouldn't want you to be sad. Instead, this is a moment of honor and celebration for the veteran, father, and grandfather that Smith is. On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, he's in for the surprise of his life.

"It's his dying wish to be in a 1956 Chevy..." explains Tripp with a grin. "So, I thought this was the best thing that we could do is get him to ride in one!"

As the family put on his coat and hat, they made their way to the front door.

Outside of their home, a line of vintage cars and a sea of Smith's closest friends, family, veterans, and law enforcement covered the streets.

With joy in his eyes, Smith exclaimed, "Oh, I'm excited!" In his driveway, a red 1956 Chevy is parked."

His wife, daughter, and family all watched as he got into the passenger seat.

"I learned a long time ago that you have to just appreciate every moment." says Tripp, as she gets into the backseat of the car. This is a wish she knows her dad has dreamed of.

The roar of the engine kicked off, and the car backed up into the street before going for a ride. As the Chevy took off, American flags and cold hands waved at the car.