Corter Laughlin’s wide smile suggests he’s pretty happy about having his brand-new driver’s license. In that respect, he’s a typical 16-year-old. But the Rapidan resident is unusual in that he’s owned a car since he was 10. His 1986 Chevy Suburban Silverado S10 was a gift from his maternal grandfather, Frank Kerr of Stafford, who died last year. Corter’s mother, Tracy Laughlin, and her brother and sister all learned how to drive behind the wheel of the impressively large and boat-like vehicle, which still sports its original blue paint and has traveled all over the country. When Frank Kerr gave the car to Corter—via an ownership transfer form to Corter’s dad, Ashe Laughlin—the understanding was that the “first car” tradition would continue for another generation. And indeed, Corter learned how to drive on the back roads of Rapidan behind the wheel of the vehicle he loves. “It’s massive, fun to drive,” he said. The car can go pretty fast, Corter said, but at higher speeds, “it starts shaking,” and in general, “it kind of rocks down the road.” The Laughlins might find a newer car for their son, but the Silverado is not changing hands anytime soon. “I like that it’s been in the family for so long,” Ashe Laughlin said. “It’s just a workhorse—and it always starts.”
