A Wife’s Sacrifice to Finance Her Husband’s Truck
There are few women who know sacrifice like those married to truckers. They lead a very different life than most wives as their husbands come and go leaving them to hold down the fort for days or even weeks at a time.
In June of 2012 Rachel Connolly, a 23 year-old woman from Surprise, AZ had just married Daniel Dodson, a 25 year-old man who just acquired his CDL 6 weeks before the wedding. The son of a long-haul trucker of over 30 years, Daniel knew as well as anyone the strain the Trucking business can put on a relationship having witnessed the loneliness and exhausting life his own mother went through while raising him and his two brothers. Daniel’s dream was to follow in his father’s footsteps but to be an Independent Owner-Operator so that he could be his own boss and see his family more often. Rachel was headed for completely uncharted territory as she attempted to prepare herself for life of only seeing her husband a couple days a week.
Growing up in the suburbs with an accountant for a father she got to see both of her parents every night, weekend, and holiday. With the wedding just over a month away Daniel was still struggling to get a loan to buy his first big rig as he had no credit history and no collateral to get a truck financed.
Then three weeks away from the biggest day of their lives, Rachel’s father Ian surprised Rachel with an early wedding gift, a 2013 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe valued at about $70,000. Rachel was in awe of her father’s generosity and thanked him happily. Daniel, seeing this luxurious car being handed so effortlessly to the woman he loved began to feel slightly uneasy as they were soon to be husband and wife and he still had no luck in acquiring his own rig.
On their wedding night Daniel told Rachel that no matter how many flat tires, sleepless nights, or dangerous roads he must endure, he always push on for her and use his business to give her everything she deserves. Another month later, Rachel told Daniel to come out to the front of the house. She covered his eyes as she walked behind him through the front door. When she dropped her hands, Daniel saw a red 2009 Kenworth t800 in front of their rented home. Across the passenger side door of the truck there was a poster board with the message “It’s OUR business now.”
She had put up the Cadillac as collateral to finance the truck and a lifelong business for her family. This gracious, loving act is just another reason why trucker wives are to be adored and revered for their sacrifice.
Frank McCourt graduated with a degree in finance from Boise State University. Since graduation, Frank has worked in a variety of financial settings. He currently works with people from all walks of life in creating debt relief strategies.
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