08:51 27-12-2025

Ford CEO Jim Farley’s Detroit holiday moment: a handmade Model T and a second chance

Ford CEO Jim Farley received an unusual Christmas gift while volunteering at Detroit’s Pope Francis Center. For several years, the automaker’s chief has been helping people without housing: handing out food and clothing, and pitching in with cleaning and kitchen work.

This year, the gift came from Allan Webster, a resident of the center who is rebuilding his life after addiction. He hand-crafted a model of a Ford Model T pickup. According to Detroit Free Press, Webster showed a talent for drawing from childhood, but family difficulties and alcoholism sent his life down a different path.

Over the past nine months, he has been living at the Pope Francis Center, creating art and planning a fresh career. Webster said he wants to work as a painter and develop his skills in decorative art. Accepting the gift, Farley said he would remember it every time he looked at the model and urged Webster not to miss the chance to change his life.

The episode is a reminder that behind the debates over which cars are best stand real people and the values automakers uphold beyond business. Moments like this often speak louder than any corporate slogan.