Marvin, I'm happy to learn things are going better for you and that your hospitalization is soon coming to an end. I'm compelled to share a bit of personal history in response to one sentence of your post.
I'm not sure how many of you know my story, but Billy and I were Hurricane Katrina victims on August 29, 2005. We weren't those people you saw on tv stranded on our roof in the flooding waiting to be saved ... we lived 25 miles west of New Orleans and our house (built in 1891), restoration shop, and pretty much everything we own got wiped out by two tornadoes in the span of about ten minutes. It was an experience I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
Since our house was destroyed, we had to move in with Billy's parents while waiting for the limited insurance to come through. The rather prestigious law firm I worked for relocated from 20 miles away from home to 75, and my 83 Mustang daily driver was damaged beyond driveability. Since I couldn't get to work, I lost my job on September 13. Unemployment was measely to say the least. We ultimately lived with his folks for thirteen months. [Incidentally, that's why my business is named Phoenix Specialty Coatings. We're still "rising from the ashes" of Katrina and trying our best to get back on our feet in a new place now. We still have no furniture to speak of, and times are still VERY hard, but we're alive with the physical ability to start over. Anyway ....]
A guy in the Barracuda Owners Group from Oregon (a good friend, and the ONLY person I could get ahold of on my cell immediately after the hurricane since the local phones were all out) not only telephoned my parents in Colorado and my daughter in California to let them know we survived, but also put the word out to the BOG membership and told them what had happened to us. With no computer access, I didn't know anything about his announcement for almost a month.
Those BOG members -- people I didn't know personally and who were, for the most part, only words on a computer screen -- donated a total of $1300 in cash to help us out.
As I sit here typing this, reliving these memories, and with tears streaming down my cheeks almost three friggin' years after the fact, it still warms my heart and soul to realize that there are people out there who truly care about other human beings and are willing to go above and beyond to let them know they aren't alone in their time of personal crisis.
That, my friend, is mainly why I'm participating in Jack's auction on your behalf. In a way, I've been there and know what you're going through.
It won't be an easy road you're traveling right now, but rest assured you have friends out there that you don't know who are happy to help you if they can. Sadly, I'm not in a position to donate monetarily, but I can donate my time, my materials, and my talent. Under the circumstances, it's the very least I can do, and I wish it could be more.
PAY IT FORWARD.
