By Kathryn Skelton,Staff Writer
Thanks to a social work intern who won’t take no for an answer, a Livermore woman has wheels again.

AUBURN – Darlene Jordan was diagnosed with leukemia two summers ago. She lost her new job after a long hospital stay. After a driver rear-ended her in an accident last winter, she eventually lost her car too.

She fixed the old 1991 Dodge Dynasty, but it just wasn’t the same.

In remission now, but without wheels, the Livermore woman couldn’t find work.

Enter intern Molly Bean.

The University of Southern Maine senior who’s majoring in social work is spending this year at Central Maine Medical Center.

She got Jordan’s name as part of her second interning project.

A month ago she called a bunch of local dealerships with a pitch: Help a mom get a new start by donating a used car.

Bean says Adam Lee, president of Lee Auto Malls, was the only one to call her back. And he had his answer all ready: Sorry, no.

If his dealership believes in a cause, it’ll give money, not a car.

But it didn’t end there.

“What impressed me is that she was so enthusiastic and determined,” Lee said. He finally told Bean, “If you can find someone that’s willing to fix it, and willing to donate the parts, we’ll do it. She said, OK, good, great.’ She called back two hours later, I found someone.'”

The red 1993 Honda Accord needed hundreds of dollars of work, things like ball joints and a rearview mirror. Bean found help at NAPA, Tire Warehouse and Bonneau’s Garage.

Jordan, 43, saw the car, a former trade-in, for the first time on Tuesday.

Her tears started immediately. “This was just a real blessing,” she said, wiping her eyes. It was more than she’d even hoped.

Back in June 2004, she had left Wal-Mart to start a new job and felt a little achy. Her skin itched. She went to the doctors. “They told me I had leukemia, and the next day I was in the hospital,” Jordan said. “It’s just been all kinds of things coming at me at once.”

Jordan has had a hard time getting to regular doctor’s appointments. Someone had to miss work to help her, or she took a taxi.

No longer. She said her sister was waiting at home to teach her how to drive her new car. It’s a stick shift.

Bean deflected praise from Lee and Jordan, saying she enjoys helping people. She started out as a history major and switched to social work. It felt more natural.

“I was going to do this for Darlene, no matter. She’s such a sincere person,” Bean said.

Should she change her mind again, with her energy and pitch, Lee thought she would be a natural in car sales.

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