A beauty queen and a mechanic: Alpenfest Queen helps grandfather's auto repair shop

GAYLORD — Fayth Sanom admits she is a very goal-oriented person. The senior at Gaylord High School won the Alpenfest queen competition in July and she is also a gymnast and cheerleader.

Soon, she may be able to add auto mechanic to her list of accomplishments.

For the last four years, Fayth has been helping her grandfather, Pat Sanom, at his repair shop (Affordable Auto Repair) in Gaylord. In June, a deer knocked Pat off of his motorcycle and after taking a little over two weeks to recover from his injuries, he returned to the business.

"She has been learning about the shop and after (the accident in June), I really needed some help," Pat said. "Her coming in and helping me out has made a big difference."

Pat was on his way to work when a doe rushed out of the woods and broadsided him, knocking him off the motorcycle. He suffered broken ribs, lacerations to his liver and a collapsed right lung.

"I am about 75 percent (recovered) right now," he said. "One of the issues I had involved my strength. It's hard for me to lift things, pick stuff up and move it around. Believe me, Fayth is strong enough to help me."

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Fayth said working on vehicles at the shop is very fulfilling and plays to one of her strengths.

"I am a very goal-oriented person and that meshes well with what I do at the shop," she said. "It's very fulfilling to take something apart, perform a repair and then put it all back together. Recently I have been learning about working on a car's engine."

When Fayth visited Pat in the hospital, she knew it was time to step up and help.

"I knew he needed to take care of the business so I decided I would come in and help him out," she said.

Winning the Alpenfest queen title is an example of how Fayth pursues a goal.

"I admit I was a bit unprepared for the competition," she said, and realized she would have to get organized and focused.

"I practiced my speech with my mom and I walked around in high heels in my pajamas so I could get used to them," Fayth recalled. She also won the talent competition by performing a gymnastics routine.

Excited about her last year at Gaylord High School, Fayth intends to graduate, attend college and continue her cheerleading. Eventually she wants to enroll in law school and become a lawyer.

"I see her abilities and it's impressive. She is very determined," Pat said.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Alpenfest Queen helps her grandfather keep up in auto repair shop