Dui

[Jim Fenton]

A very powerful clip from the Aussies,
especially appropriate going into the Holiday Season.

This should be mandatory viewing in all High Schools
before the Christmas break.

DUI

[carolwicks]

Good morning Jim....

I am sitting here sobbing like a baby. I cannot imagine having to go thru the agony these families go thru. The video is graphic and it should be shown in every school from first grade. Little kids should know far ahead of time what can happen if you dont obey laws. the are most impressionable. Teens seem to think they are invincible. Every parent should sit with their kids and make them watch it. Fear is one of the things that motivates us to stay away from situations...
There are a couple of times in my life I thank God for helping me to get home safely when i was younger. It wont happen again..it scares me what could have happened ... not so much to me but to others around or with me..
i am saving this post for future use. could have done without the tears tho...lol have alot to do today and now i feel numb. thanks Jim..
carol aka oz

[ocalasp76]

Great message to pass on to the 'younger' generation who think life is not real...
Just don't see why this is in 'comics corner'.
Nothing funny about it, but very imformative...Thanks again.
-JIM-

[Jim Fenton]

No Jim, there’s nothing funny about this subject matter.

Those that have ever spent days, weeks, months peering over the bed rails at a son, daughter or loved one on a respirator with feeding tubes, etc. caused by no fault of their own can tell you that there are no words that can describe the feeling.

I know my wife and I will never forget the term used in the first months of our son's coma “Persistent Vegetative State”.

I’m sure there are many others in or outside the racing community that monitor this board that can testify to a similar experience with a family member or friend.

One other that comes to mind more recently is my friend and former crew member from back in my Tornado days and early Late Model days on the FOUR car; Chuck “Shorty” Stewart.

For those that didn’t see the thread titled “The Thirty-Aught Six” about Shorty I posted down at the bottom of the page sometime back in the Stump the Fans Photo forum he and his wife Leslie were involved in a horrific motorcycle accident a year ago this past October while returning to their home in Fruitville from a charity for kids in Leesburg up in Lake County.

It would be inappropriate to comment on all the details as the case is still in litigation but suffice to say that Shorty & Leslie were driving under the speed limit, in the center of their lane on a full-dressed Harley when the other individual coming in the opposite direction crossed the center lane on the bridge, collided with the van ahead of Shorty before hitting Shorty & Leslie on the bike.

The impact severed Leslie’s left leg at the knee and catapulted her over the guard rail into the dark waters of Lake Griffin approx 15’ below. It was after 10:00 PM in the evening so she had to swim for her life after dark after losing her leg.

Shorty was crushed between the bike and the guard rail with severe injuries to his left leg, arm and chest area.

Shorty just had his umpteenth surgery this past Friday with a total knee replacement on his left leg and was still recuperating in the Orlando Regional medical Center on Saturday when I spoke with him on my way to the Governor’s Cup race.

Leslie is now getting around fine on a prosthetic.

If you want to take the time to see the original article and video clip associated with it you can view it HERE.

If you watch the video clip you’ll see Shorty on the stretcher being wheeled to the helicopter, to get a sense of the severity of the injury to his left leg check out the angle of his left foot compared to the right foot.

It was my intention to post some more pics I have of Shorty on the board from his old racing days, and I will in the near future, but for now here is a shot of him in the #8 LaPointe-Weeks Texaco Monte Carlo Late Model owned by Doc Clark and crewed by my old friend “Skinny” Tom Robinson.

This shot was taken at the old Lakeland Speedway. This was a one-shot deal for Shorty that night as a substitute for Jack Caffee who normally drove this car at the time and whose name appears on the roof.