By: Matt Weingarden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Tilbury Times Reporter

When the Gordie Howe International Bridge officially opened to traffic, LaSalle resident Marvin Diotte was among the first to cross. But unlike most drivers, he wasn’t in a modern vehicle. Instead, Marvin drove his restored 1925 Ford Model T, a car inherited from his father, with his grandsons, Micah and Camden, riding along.

The bridge, spanning 1.5 miles across the Detroit River, is now the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America and the first new international crossing between Windsor and Detroit in almost 100 years.

For Marvin, this wasn’t just a public milestone but a personal one. His father bought and restored the Model T years earlier and passed it down to Marvin, who has kept it running as a tribute to his family’s history. The vehicle was manufactured across the river, with the engine stamped ‘Made in Detroit.’ Diotte noted that some vehicles were also assembled in Walkerville – with the engines stamped ‘Made in Canada.’

Marvin found the experience memorable not just for himself but for his grandsons, who were fortunate enough to be part of a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. “It’s a fantastic thing to do with my grandkids,” he said. “I wanted to make memories for them as well as myself.”

On opening day, the Model T drew attention. Border officers and drivers alike stopped to take photos as it crossed the new span.

“What an awesome experience. Especially to make the trip with my two grandsons!” said Diotte. “This had been the plan for a few years, and we finally were able to make it happen.”

His father, Stan, and brother, Ron, a body man by trade, spent about three years restoring the car from scratch, removing and replacing every nut and bolt. They stripped the car down to bare metal, then repainted the antique automobile. The engine is original.

“My father was very meticulous in everything he did. He hand-machined the wood and metal precisely to spec and ensured a proper fit. He was very, very fussy,” Diotte said with a bit of a chuckle.

For Marvin, 74, driving his father’s car across the new bridge with his grandsons was about continuity—connecting the past and present through a shared family experience.

“Like me, the boys were all smiles,” beamed Diotte. “We were grateful for such a beautiful day, because the rain certainly would have put a damper on things…considering the wiper blade is manual.”

He hopes the memory sticks with them and that one day they’ll tell their own kids about the day they crossed the border in their great-grandfather’s Model T.

Diotte, who comes from a family of 11 siblings, was fortunate enough to inherit the vehicle.

“Although the car was left to me, it belongs to my entire family,” said Diotte, who hopes to pass it along to the next generation and perpetuate the legacy. “This is the way that I can keep Dad’s memory alive. I know he would be jumping for joy if he were here today to experience history.”