ARUNDEL — For avid "Car Talk" listener Chad Hill, host Ray Magliozzi's voice is a familiar one.

ARUNDEL — For avid "Car Talk" listener Chad Hill, host Ray Magliozzi's voice is a familiar one.



But hearing the voice of his idol in a hallway at Mildred L. Day School recently came as a complete surprise to the fifth grader. Hill, who is blind, is an aspiring radio disc jockey and tunes in weekly to rebroadcasts of the National Public Radio program "Car Talk", often asking his twin brother Chance to listen along.



"It was so touching to see Chad's face when he recognized Ray's voice when they met in the hallway," said Principal Kevin Crowley. "He was smiling from ear to ear and could not believe Ray had taken the time to come see him. It was such a generous gesture on Ray's part."



Hill's social worker at the Mildred L. Day School reached out to Magliozzi, who hosted "Car Talk" with his brother Tom and retired in 2012, in hopes he would speak to Hill over the phone, but Magliozzi offered even more than that — travelling to Arundel to meet his young fan in person and even joining him for lunch in the cafeteria.



"Truth be known it was I who was inspired by Chad's courage and determination and if our meeting can get him closer to a career in radio that would be great," Magliozzi said. "In addition, his brother Chance very quietly demonstrated a deep love and dedication to Chad that was very special and moving. Chad is also very lucky to have the support of everyone at M.L. Day, not the least of whom are his fellow students. When we had lunch in the cafeteria that day he was just another student and that was great and just the way it should be."

Hill said he was preparing to ask Magliozzi questions over the phone and was shocked when Magliozzi ended up coming to M.L. Day.



"The first thing he said was, 'Hi Chad,'" Hill said. "I thought, 'No way, he's really here.' He sounded familiar. He sounded like he was actually on the air."



"Car Talk" is all about "cars and car repairs," said Hill, who came across the radio program one day while scanning through radio stations.



"I was kind of bored at the time and I turned on this station and thought, 'huh, this is interesting,'" Hill said. "You should find your National Public Radio station and see if it's on. I'm not saying anyone has to, but one should."



Someday Hill says he'd like to be a radio DJ and would use his favorite type of car, a Dodge, to come up with his name.

"I DJ down at the gym during dodge ball and I thought 'wouldn't it be cool to have a DJ name like DJ Dodge?'" Hill said. "Most of us start out not famous, but we can make ourselves famous by doing stuff. I want to be a famous DJ doing something like "Car Talk" and playing country music."



Hill said he first became interested in a career in radio in the fourth grade, after getting his own radio and recorder.



"I have one of those tape recorders where you pop the tape in and shut the door. If the DJ wouldn't speak, then I would jump in and DJ for them," Hill said. "I know all the songs except for the 80s and not all of the 90s."



Hill said he asked Magliozzi what advice he would give to a kid looking to have a career in radio someday.



"It was great advice," Hill said. "He said, 'If you need any help, just call me.'"