Car given to Nebraska high school student by his late father stolen and wrecked

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN/Gray News) - A high schooler in Nebraska has had a challenging week after his car was stolen and then wrecked. But it’s not just about the car, it’s what the car represented.

Like a typical weekday Preston Yager was in wrestling practice Monday after school at Lincoln Northeast in Lincoln, Nebraska, but this week was different.

“I was missing my phone, my ID’s, drivers license, car and keys,” Yager told KOLN.

During practice, students had gone through lockers taking most of his belongings.

“Since my car keys were missing, I figured my car is probably gone. I went out to the parking lot and it was not there,” Yager said.

A police report was filed that night. The car was found around 1 a.m., and it was wrecked. Those who stole it have been identified and cited, but because they are minors their identity isn’t public information.

The Lincoln Northeast junior feels anger and resentment, but also sadness.

“Getting that car meant a lot because the money for it was brought to me by my dad,” Yager said. “He unfortunately passed.”

Preston’s dad died serving in Iraq almost 15 years ago.

The school has surveillance cameras and apologized for the incident, but insurance won’t cover the damage.

“It’s not right and it’s not fair,” Mary Jo Yager, Preston’s mother, said. “Yeah, it’s a car and it’s a material thing, but there are a lot of feelings behind that car.”

Preston plans to enter the military and follow his parents’ footsteps after high school.

“Basically, this was kind of the last thing he could give me, and they just took it without second thought,” Preston said.

There is a GoFundMe set up to help get Preston a car with an original goal of $7,000. The amount of money raised is nearly $10,000 as of the publishing of this story.

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