89-year-old veteran receives virtual surprise, views classic cars from home

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A local 89-year-old veteran recently received a quarantine surprise.

David Sweetman has always had a passion for cars.

Not only does he love to look at them, but he’s had quite a few in his lifetime.

His son Jeff was able to take a robot, which sits on a segway, into the Ray Skillman Classic Car Museum.

All David had to do was use a laptop from home and drive it where he wanted to go.

He was able to look at every car and display inside the museum. Most of the cars are from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. The Navy reserve vet says it’s his favorite place to go and used to take his children there when they were little.

He’s been quarantined at home since February and is struggling with “cabin fever.”

Before the pandemic, his children would take him to the museum.

He struggles walking and has had both knees replaced.

This was a way for him to spend hours looking at the cars from the comfort of his own home.

“It’s a surprise. I didn’t know we could do this stuff. It’s amazing to me how we can do it,” David said. “I can sit in my living room and talk to you in your living room with no connections whatsoever. It’s really amazing what they can do nowadays.”

“The concept of technology and being able to be on the internet and have wifi access, I mean this robot could have been in China and he could have driven it from here,” David’s son, jeff said. So as long as it’s connected to wifi somewhere and we’re connected to wifi, you can drive them anywhere.”

One of David’s favorite cars is a 1947 Chrysler convertible.

hH also loves the first Mustangs made in 1964.

David is already asking his son where he’s taking the robot next. He’s hoping for the inside of the Speedway museum.