Sam celebrated his 21^st birthday on Saturday, September 18, but with COVID lockdowns, his mum Maree wasn't sure how they would celebrate.

Sam is mostly non-verbal and according to Maree, he has been fascinated by Holden Monaros for a number of years.

"There is not a lot of things you could give Sam that would be so exciting except an experience," Maree said.

Maree got thinking but due to the current public health orders, it was pretty impossible to organise a race car drive for Sam's birthday, she said.

"We were right in the middle of everything (COVID lockdown) right up to his birthday so it was tricky."

In the lead-up to the birthday, the family took a trip out to Wallabi Point and totally unprompted, Sam wrote in the sand "Sami's car - Holden Monaro."

Seeing that, Maree said she knew she had to get him a ride in a Monaro. "That is the way he has been able to tell me, not by telling me with words, but to show me."

Maree's brother, Peter Audet posted a request on social media and it went viral, with around 1900 shares.

"As a young Aussie guy he (Sam) has mastered two important words Holden Monaro but is yet to fulfill his dream of taking a ride in our country's most iconic vehicle," Peter wrote. "I have one simple question... anyone feel like making a young man's dream come true?"

Through the post, lots of people were tagging Graeme Brewer of Down Town Kustoms Taree, Maree said. Graeme had never met Sam or his mum, but started getting tagged on the Facebook post and seeing how Sam loved Holden Monaros, he said.

Graeme checked with the owner of the Holden Monaro, Peter Sharp, who is a former Manning local now living in Hong Kong, and got the green light.

"It was just perfect, we had recently finished this one-of-a-kind HQ Monaro for a great client of ours (Peter Sharp), I asked Peter for his permission and he said of course."

"He was very happy that his car could bring Sam so much joy," Graeme said.

"We got him (Sam) in the front seat with his mum, Maree in the back and cruised to Cundletown and then through the town centre.

"He loved it and would have liked to have driven around in it all day, I think," he joked.

The Monaro Sam rode in was on the front cover of Street Machine magazine last month (September). Graeme presented Sam with a copy of the magazine, along with his very own Down Town Kustoms work shirt.

"I'm pretty sure we made his day. The DTK team and myself were stoked to be a part of it."

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