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Request For A Fellow Gt 500 Guy


thewheelman

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A couple of months after I bought my GT 500 (back in 08) a local doctor bought his son a 2008 GT 500 for graduation. I figured the next time I saw it, it would be wrapped around a tree or something. But, I didn't see it much at all, until a few months ago, when it started showing up in our church parking lot. Western KY, here and while Vette's abound, another GT 500 is a rare sight. I noticed it a couple of times before I realized it is his and he is dating a very nice young lady in our church. Turns out that he's a very nice young man, going to college somewhere south of here and just a really cool young fellow. He's majoring in criminal justice with a career goal of being a warden in a penitentiary, FBI, etc. Ok, not my cup of tea, but that's his goal. We got to chatting cars and clutches and tuners and brakes and his girlfriend told me privately that he was thrilled just to have someone else who understood the car and the Shelby name. Again, he has impressed me as a very nice young man--someone you wouldn't mind your daughter dating.

 

Last month, 2 days after his 23rd birthday, he was out riding a motorcycle that he purchased just a couple of months earlier. He took a long loop around some of the country roads in this neck of the woods before going back to school after Thanksgiving and the end of the semester. About 2 hours from home a 16 year old in a pick up turned left into him--not in front of him, but in to him. Severed his left leg just below the knee, shattered his pelvis, broke his left arm in so many places it looked like a jigsaw puzzle. Thankfully there was no brain trauma but he lost a tremendous amount of blood and it was very touch and go for several days. The highly skilled doctors at Vanderbilt have gone through 30+ hours of surgery on him. He's got more metal attached to his broken bones than Garth Brooks has gold albums! He's apparently a very determined young man, but his life and career goals are forever changed, not to mention his driving a 6 speed or finishing a semester or anything like that. Last week we heard his goal was to be out of ICU by Christmas. They moved him to a regular room today. Lots of pain, physical, mental and emotional. His future is now filled with physical therapy and rehab instead of classes and graduation.

 

My request to you: would you mind sending him a card? Christmas card, get-well card, just a card of encouragement......I don't care. Just take 5 minutes, address a card, slap a stamp on it and send it to:

John Michael Stitt

6990 Glass Lane

Hopkinsville, KY 42240

 

Sign your name, if you like, but I'd like for all of us to sign it "A GT 500 friend"

 

Thanks in advance! And, oh yeah, this is not a hoax, like that kid in England that got 1000's of card every year after his cancer had been cured. This is a super young man who would appreciate a word of encouragement.

 

Thanks again!

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i posted yesterday i have a 2013 gt 500 it doesnt have vin stickers on any of the parts doors,,,fenders,,,,trunk,,,hood,,,,bumper covers ,,, is this because the car was built by shelby or was it just an over sight on my car can anyone help thank you mike if im posting in wrong area im sorry new to this thanks

 

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I know bikes are a thrill to ride......but anyone who has worked with trauma patients from the ER to REHAB to the morgue knows of dozens of these stories.....

 

breaks my heart......

 

of course I will send a card, ........and my prayers for him in the coming months.

 

you are a good man wheelman.

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As a fellow motorcycle rider and Shelby owner, this is absolutely heart breaking. Glad to hear John is a strong young man with a positive attitude. Will get a card out.

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I live close to Sturgis and have been and EMT for 30 years. Motorcycles and convertibles are not on my bucket list. Glad that his outlook is good and he has youth in his favor for healing much faster than an older person.

I will certainly send a card. :mail:

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  • 2 weeks later...

I want to say a great big "THANK YOU" for all those who have responded to my request! 2 bits of good news to report this week. 1) John Michael came home from the hospital last week. He's a very determined young man and so far feels like his physical therapist is "babying" him. So he's ready to get on with it. 2) I spoke to his young lady friend today at church and she questioned me about the cards. She said he was thrilled to get them but a little confused as to how all you all came to send them to him. The "GT 500 whatever" you put at the bottom finally registered and he made the connection. Z-man had forwarded me a link to an automatic or hand operated clutch device that would make it possible for him to drive his car again. I asked her if the family had made any mention of that and she said she didn't know, but she had certainly thought of it--because, like us, he got so much pleasure out of driving the beast. I confirmed with her that I would forward the link to his dad so that when he is ready, they can have some info and ideas at hand.

 

Again, thank you SO MUCH for your response. She said he was awed that that many of you all sent cards!

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