Supercar therapy: Driven Project takes ailing kids for the rides of their lives
Trips around Vancouver in high-end vehicles aim to put smiles on children's faces
They are the type of cars most children would be happy to have as toys — but in Vancouver some kids are getting to ride in real supercars as part of an outreach project to help those with health problems.
The Driven Project was developed by Kevin Gordon, a successful entrepreneur who grew up playing with Hot Wheels, but now owns a real Lamborghini.
"I saw the effect it had on people when I took people out on my car, how much joy it brought them, how it inspired them," Gordon said on Sunday.
Supercar is a term used by automobile makers to describe a luxury or high-performance sports car.
Gordon started by offering rides to people on Instagram, then to people waiting at bus stops.
He realized he could take the idea further and partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which provides experiences for sick children, to create the Driven Project.
On Sunday, several children got to ride around Vancouver with Gordon and other supercar owners.
One of children was Mattias Hoegler, who was born with a rare lung condition.
"Pretty fast," he said about his ride as a smile stretched across his face.
He says he and his 10-year-old brother Marcus both love fancy cars.
'I just want to get in it'
"It just looks great, I know what it is and I just want to get in it," said Marcus as he eyed a fancy Lamborghini.
Their mother Hege Bolthof Hoegler said the opportunity to ride in one was a dream come true for her sons.
"It's wonderful. It takes your mind off some difficult moments in life," she said.
With files from Jon Hernandez