13-Year-Old Trades Xbox and Mows Lawns to Buy His Single Mom a Car

William Rabillo was 13 years old when he decided his mother needed a car more than he needed his Xbox.

The teenager from Fernley, Nevada found a woman selling a 1999 Chevrolet Metro on Facebook and made an unusual offer.

The Facebook Message That Started Everything

William reached out to ask if he could trade his Xbox for the car or earn it by doing yard work.

His mother Krystal Preston was a single mom of three who had been facing significant financial struggles without transportation.

William had been inspired after watching YouTube videos of kids surprising their mothers with cars.

Mowing Lawns and Odd Jobs

William spent weeks performing odd jobs around the neighborhood to raise money for the vehicle.

He had a history of community service, including helping mow a senior citizen's lawn where weeds had grown as tall as William himself.

The teenager was born with severe bilateral clubfoot and has ADHD, but that didn't stop his determination.

The Surprise That Changed Everything

On March 23, 2019, William surprised his mother with the white 1999 Chevrolet Metro.

Krystal described the weeks leading up to the surprise as "literally hell filled with so many tears, anger, confusion and heart ache."

Her reaction to William's gesture was complex: "The fact that my kid did this, I'm proud, but as a mom I'm supposed to be able to take care of my kids, I'm supposed to do this, not the other way around."

What Happened Next

After the story spread, strangers set up a GoFundMe that raised over $7,000 in three days.

William never wanted the attention, saying simply: "I didn't really want that to happen. I just wanted to do it, that's all."

A 13-year-old boy saw his mother struggling and decided his Xbox was worth less than her need for transportation.