HOMEWOOD, IL — A homeless mother of five has a CTA bus driver to thank for the new car she will receive Christmas Eve morning from a Homewood dealership. Selena, of Chicago, was the winner chosen by Chevrolet of Homewood to receive a 2017 Chevy Sonic as part of the dealership's annual car giveaway. She was nominated by Santino, a CTA bus driver who knows her as a passenger on his route.

"I don't think anyone on this planet deserves it more than her," the bus driver said in his video nominating Selena. "Beautiful lady, beautiful kids," he added.

Santino met Selena and her children when they were on his bus and asked him for directions to a homeless shelter. Since then, he has made efforts to help her and her kids find housing, said Selena, adding she was surprised Santino nominated her for the giveaway. "He's just been a big help," she said in her video about the nomination.



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And a new car will be an additional help for Selena and her family, who have been struggling financially and living in a shelter. Her 3-year-old daughter is deaf, her 6-year-old son is autistic, and her 15-year-old daughter has diabetes and depression. Selena, 35, also has diabetes and has had a stroke.

"It will definitely help with doctor appointments, because I have a lot of them," she said in her video.

Selena will receive the new car during a ceremony at 10 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 24 — Christmas Eve morning, "one of the best holidays out there," according to Steve Phillipos, the car dealership's president — at the dealership, 18033 Halsted St. Coincidentally, Sunday also is the birthday of Santino's daughter.

This is the third year the dealership has held its car giveaway, and it received more than 420 entries from across the country. Chicago activist and Majostee Allstars founder Ja'Mal Green also helped spread the word about the contest. RELATED: Car Giveaway Finalists Named By Homewood Dealership