Izard Co. mother’s children surprise her with new car

HORSESHOE BEND, Ark. (KAIT) - Four children out of Izard County surprised their hard-working mother with an early Christmas gift.

Cindy Small has lived in Horseshoe Bend for over 30 years. She owns Cindy’s Dinner Bell, a small cafe in Izard County, and is well-respected within the community.

Throughout the years, Small has overcome many obstacles. She was a single mother of four and has worked up to three jobs at once over the years.

“I started at the restaurant down the street,” Small said. “I worked down there for 12 years, and I worked in the grocery store as well as a lunch lady at the school.”

But for Small, the hard-times hit again.

Keeping a small business going throughout the pandemic has been difficult.

“It’s just hard knowing what you’re going to do that day or what kind of groceries to order. It’s something I worry about,” she said.

If the pandemic isn’t enough, her transportation to and from work has been another issue. She drives a 15-year-old Ford Escape with over 200,000 miles and a bad battery. The car troubles forced her to walk to work on many occasions.

“It just wouldn’t start a lot of the time, but I just kept jumper cables on me,” Small said.

But through those struggles, she was resilient.

“I can make due,” she said determinedly.

And while she did make due, her struggles didn’t go unnoticed.

Small’s children saw them and wanted to find a way to help.

They banded together to buy her an early Christmas present: a 2013 Nissan Juke.

Her daughter, Mandy, recorded the special moment and said she just wanted to give back to the person who gave everything to them.

“It was something we could do for mom and take away some of her stress. I’m just glad we were able to do it,” Mandy said. “I’m glad that she can get in her car and take a relaxing drive.”

Small loves her new car and can’t wait to take it out for a Sunday drive.

“This was above and beyond for sure. I’ve got the four best kids in the world,” she said.

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