CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – A young writer was surprised with a gift of a lifetime from one Lowcountry nonprofit.

Zackeus Kynard, 18, a graduate of Charleston County School of the Arts, has written and published a book about his life titled “Kenopsia.”

Now Kynard is a student at the College of Charleston, and he says he has been walking and paying for rideshare services like Lyft and Uber to get around to work and school for the last year and a half.

He says he has walked more than five miles on multiple occasions to avoid paying for rides to do things as simple as running errands.

“I do that, and I devote myself to it, but without having a car it’s really tough to do that,” Kynard said.

Kynard says the money he has spent on rideshares could have paid for a vehicle by now.

That’s where Eliot Middleton comes into the equation. His nonprofit “Middleton’s Village to Village Foundation” provides used vehicles to those who struggle with transportation.

“He would pay Uber to go to work, just to make enough money to get to work to pay Uber to get home,” Middleton said. “You can’t ever get ahead like that. You have to have something to try and get a step up.”

Middleton heard about Kynard’s story through a Lowcountry youth mentorship program and thought he’d be the perfect person to receive the nonprofit’s 100th car.

Kynard was shocked when he found out the car was his.

“I’m just grateful for Mr. Middleton and the organization, and everyone who supported me throughout all the years like my mentors and my mom,” he said. “I am very appreciative and very grateful for this.”

The foundation isn’t stopping here, coming up in December is their “12 days of car donations.”

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