[Kyle.Gilmour]

Won't kid you guys... this is the stuff that can bring tears to my eyes.

Paris sailor returns home to find beloved Camaro shipshape

PARIS - When he went off to the Persian Gulf last year for Navy patrol duty, Steve Craig had a simple request to relatives for his beloved 1969 red Camaro with racing stripes.

Keep it in the garage and try to put in a new gas tank so it was ready for a quick drive when he returned.

For many months, the boatswain's mate 2nd class worked in the sweltering heat up to 17 hours a stretch on coastal patrol boats based in the United Arab Emirates. His mind was mostly on heavy machine guns, grenade launchers and the destinations of incoming boats or ships.

On July 4, the 39-year-old state corrections officer returned stateside. Back in Paris last week, he asked about picking up his Camaro, reportedly in storage at Ashmore.

But first came a side trip.

On Saturday morning, Craig was walking with his brother-in-law Bill Douglas Jr. of Ashmore down a row of classic vehicles at a car show, sponsored by the Class Pack Car Club of Neoga on the front lawn of American Legion Post 211 in Paris. Then, Craig started to notice something familiar about the restored Camaro with a shiny black finish and black interior.

"I noticed it had the same transmission and gearshift as I had on mine," Craig said afterward.

Then, Neoga resident Norm Romack asked someone to open the hood for Craig. That brought tears of joy to the sailor's eyes as he realized the fully restored car was the red work in progress he had left after restoring the engine days before his overseas deployment.

"I don't know what to say, everybody. Thanks!" said Craig after realizing the car show visit had been camouflage to introduce him to his restored car with a front plate stating "U.S.S. Ground Up."

About the only original exterior parts on the car are the top, now stripped of vinyl, and a front fender.

Romack said the effort had been a labor of love for Douglas and his father, Bill Sr., and other volunteers, including Jay Romack, Wayne "Spanky" Cox, Larry Wesch, Ron Russell, Ron Warner, Chris Gebhardt, Jim Hewitt, Paul "Bub" Romack and others. The effort was also assisted by Car Quest, Dean Lewis, Dust & Son and Steve Winkler.

"This started in February. You would start talking to people, and more and more would say they wanted to help," Romack said.

Bill Douglas Sr. of Neoga said Craig had purchased the car more than 20 years ago, before he went into the Navy. So he showed dedication to the car.

"Many of us look back at the car we had when we were young and wish we had kept it. Well, he did keep his. So we thought it was worth this for him," Douglas said.

Lori Douglas said she and her husband, Bill Jr., worked on the secrecy efforts to make sure it was a complete surprise for Craig. Relatives stayed under a tent away from the car show displays when Craig arrived in a Mustang. Last-minute instructions were given Saturday morning to participants so Craig would not be tipped off.

There was also a little fun with the secrecy for Lori Craig as the trap was set for her husband.

"It was fun to keep it a secret, because he's the one who plays tricks on people," she said as the group gathered for a celebration meal.

Twelve-year-old Roman Craig also kept the secret. He was once told by his father that the old Camaro would be his after a father-son restoration effort. But that dream is still alive.

"I'm going to continue to work on it with Roman," Dad said.

But when Roman gets his driver's license, he might have Dad riding shotgun, Craig said with a laugh.