This is one Christmas gift that will never be returned, or even end up on eBay.
And both the gift and reaction are priceless.
Former IndyCar and NASCAR driver Danica Patrick stole the show at her family’s Christmas Eve get-together when she presented a one-of-a-kind present to her father, T.J.
Patrick’s gift: a frame containing the first and last firesuits she ever wore in her two-plus decade racing career, according to a story on PopCulture.com. The last firesuit was the one Patrick wore in this year’s Indianapolis 500, her final race before she officially retired as a race car driver.
The reaction brought tears to the face of everyone in attendance, as Patrick said in her Instagram post.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BryAM74HGu4/
Here’s more from Patrick’s Instagram account, “Merry Christmas Eve! This is from yesterday before I left my parents place in Indy. We did Christmas early and my sis helped with the idea of something sentimental for dad ..... we all cried. It’s my first and last suit. It was an emotional year of leaving something behind that was such a huge part of our lives.”
Patrick went on to say that it wasn’t about buying an expensive present, but rather one that had deep emotional meaning.
“The main reason I am saying all this, is because Christmas doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. It should cost something different .... sometimes more than we are willing to give, and that is your time and/or deep thought of a gift that will mean something to someone. I am guilty of spending money, yes, but I also put all a lot of thought to what I am getting.”
Patrick’s post has been liked by nearly 40,000 readers, with one of the responses coming from her mother, Bev.
“You did get us all,” Bev wrote. “But what cherished memories between purple and green!! I feel so blessed to have such a loving thoughtful family. It’s all I need ever!”