When Nathaniel Holvey from Mansfield Christian School sat down in the front seat of the Nissan Versa parked in the Nissan showroom at Mansfield Motor Group (MMG), the crowd collectively counted down from three for him to turn the key. Two people before him had already tried and failed to start the car, which would award the winner of either the car or a $10,000 scholarship courtesy of MMG. As the crowd held their breath, Nathaniel inserted the key – and felt something move.
“My first car was a hand-me-down from my brother and it was a manual, so I know the feeling when I put the key in because you can’t turn it forward with the clutch,” he said. “But when I put my foot on the clutch I wiggled the key forward just a tiny bit and I thought, I think this is it!”
The hum of the engine turning over a split second later confirmed Nathaniel’s suspicions, and as the crowd broke into applause and his mother Colleen Holvey ran forward to congratulate him, it started to sink in – he was the winner of the car.
Nathaniel’s victory marks the end of Mansfield Motor Group’s yearlong sponsorship and citizenship program for Richland County high school seniors, sponsored by Richland Source, CellControl, Richland Public Health and the Richland County Safe Communities Coalition.
To be eligible for the scholarship opportunity, each student agreed to have a minimum GPA of 3.0 or better for their senior year at the time of the drawing or to have improved their senior year GPA by at least 1.25 points from their final GPA at the end of their junior year. They also must not have had any school detentions, suspensions or non-excused absences, and they must not have been arrested for any criminal activities in the past.
A co-sponsor of the program was the company CellControl, which manufactures a device that plugs into the car and pairs with an app on a mobile device that prevents distracted driving.
“It knows if the car is moving, and if the car is moving it prevents your phone from working,” said Richland Source Publisher Jay Allred, who installed the device on his own vehicle. Allred noted CellControl can also track a vehicle’s speeds and whether the vehicle has braked hard in a fixed period of time.
Hovey said at times following the rules of the scholarship program was difficult, but it was worth it in the end.
“I do like driving fast so it is tough, and sometimes the biggest influence is friends, if you’re with friends who want to get where you’re going faster,” he said. “I do think about my parents; if I got a ticket that’s a lot of money. There are other consequences too, that goes on your record and hinders other things.”
This is not the first award Holvey has won this year. Recently he was recognized at the 47th annual Mansfield Rotary McGowan Courage Awards, where nine area high school students were recognized for their courage and tenacity in the face of adversity. According to his mother, four years ago Nathaniel was playing in a soccer match when he sustained a painful broken tibia in his right leg that required that he spend the summer on crutches and in a heavy full-length cast. Following a five-month recovery and physical therapy he was able to return to the soccer field, but soon re-injured his leg.
The next year, during a soccer scrimmage game his leg was broken again requiring surgery. During the surgery an emergency occurred as his blood pressure began to rise and he experienced pain in his chest. It was then that it was discovered Nathaniel had a congenital heart condition with decreased blood flow to his legs. Heart surgery followed, which was complicated by a narrow aorta and an abnormal heart valve.
“We went to Cleveland Clinic and he had a stent put in,” said Colleen Holvey. According to the American Heart Association, a stent is a tiny wire mesh tube that props open an artery and is left there permanently. “His descending aorta was only three millimeters wide and it should be about 20,” she said.
After deciding soccer was too risky for his leg, Nathaniel Hovey joined the swim team his junior and senior year and has since remained injury free. He has been able to overcome his physical trials to the point where he could volunteer for two mission trips with his youth group at his church and he became certified as a lifeguard.
“He’s one of these young men that could’ve died on the soccer field,” said Colleen Holvey. “We call it a divine break, because had he not broken his leg we may have never known until another unfortunate incident that he had this congenital heart defect.”
Colleen Holvey said she was stunned when watched her son turn the key and heard the engine start. She added the two of them have not yet decided whether to accept the car or the $10,000 scholarship.
“I just was very thankful to the Lord – it was disbelief, really,” she said. “It was like, is that the car starting? Is that the car starting? I was just very, very thankful.”
After graduation, Nathaniel Holvey said he will be attending first The Ohio State University at Mansfield, then eventually transferring to The Ohio State University in Columbus to study engineering. He told the crowd winning was never something he expected when he woke up Saturday morning.
“I just thought hey, this is a possibility to get something great,” he said.
