David
03-28-2011, 07:54 PM
Today I learned of some horrific news. My little brother from Big Brothers was in horrible car accident yesterday afternoon. He got a ride in a 18 year old girls new sports car and it ended badly. He died from the injuries. I’m just sick and in a fog that wont lift.
I had been his Big Brother for approx 5 years and remember meeting him like it was yesterday. He was about 12 years old after we were matched in the program. He was a little guy who had challenges that no kid deserved. That first day, I told him I liked working on cars, he wasn’t as enthusiastic and thinking old beaters, I had something else in mind, and he eventually came around…
http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Tim/Tim-david.jpg
Tim and I the first day we met.
Over the years, we met every week and spent a day together. Much of the time was spent working in the shop on the GTM, playing video games, or eating at our favorite Chinese Restaurant. Tim became like a real brother and some respects a son Mary and I never had. Over the years, he was developing into a person that everyone who knew him, was incredibly proud of.
http://gtmbuild.com/galleries/knotts2007gtm/images/IMG_5213.jpg
Dan Pellow, Tim, Russ Thompson, me and Tracy Work.
http://gtmbuild.com/galleries/knotts2007gtm/images/IMG_5215.jpg
Tim standing by the GTM at Knotts.
He knew so much about the car that he spent the entire day educating potential FFR customers about the specs and the build process.
Tim had some of the same challenges with school that I did when I was his age and despite that he got on the honor role several times, was nearing graduation and making plans for what College to attend. He was incredibly bright, but still a humble young man. A goof ball a heart… I remember a time he showed up at the house with these crazy big, bright green sunglasses… It wasn’t about being cool for Tim… it was about being Tim. If only I was as comfortable in my skin as Tim was at his age.
http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Tim/Tim-kevin.jpg
Tim at my dad’s 70th Birthday hanging with my brother. He had grown another half a foot since this picture about a year ago.
As we go through life, we have a choice of succumbing to our environment or circumstances, or taking a stand and doing better. Tim was one of those young people who was making the best of it… I am just so proud of him and what he was making of his life. The loss is so tragic in the sense that he was just getting started in life. Yet I am incredibly proud of the man he was developing into and I’m so thankful I told him that near every day we hung out together. Luckily there was very little if anything unsaid between us. Just about a month ago he was up to the house and he genuinely thanked me for being in his life. It’s the first time that he openly said something and it really meant a lot.. I know he appreciated our time together, but he didn’t really verbalize it. Im so thankful he did.
We had txt messaged just Saturday, the day before he passed with plans to hang out next weekend. My only regret is that we would have spent more time together lately. You know how you get busy and let life get in the way of what matters most.
If I can encourage any of you to do one thing in Tim’s spirit. Tell the people you care about you love them and support them and make time for them often. You never know when it might be too late. That, and don’t give young kids sports cars.
Tim, I miss and love you kid… Im proud of you! Say hello to God from us... I know he has big plans for you.
Until that day we meet again.
David
I had been his Big Brother for approx 5 years and remember meeting him like it was yesterday. He was about 12 years old after we were matched in the program. He was a little guy who had challenges that no kid deserved. That first day, I told him I liked working on cars, he wasn’t as enthusiastic and thinking old beaters, I had something else in mind, and he eventually came around…
http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Tim/Tim-david.jpg
Tim and I the first day we met.
Over the years, we met every week and spent a day together. Much of the time was spent working in the shop on the GTM, playing video games, or eating at our favorite Chinese Restaurant. Tim became like a real brother and some respects a son Mary and I never had. Over the years, he was developing into a person that everyone who knew him, was incredibly proud of.
http://gtmbuild.com/galleries/knotts2007gtm/images/IMG_5213.jpg
Dan Pellow, Tim, Russ Thompson, me and Tracy Work.
http://gtmbuild.com/galleries/knotts2007gtm/images/IMG_5215.jpg
Tim standing by the GTM at Knotts.
He knew so much about the car that he spent the entire day educating potential FFR customers about the specs and the build process.
Tim had some of the same challenges with school that I did when I was his age and despite that he got on the honor role several times, was nearing graduation and making plans for what College to attend. He was incredibly bright, but still a humble young man. A goof ball a heart… I remember a time he showed up at the house with these crazy big, bright green sunglasses… It wasn’t about being cool for Tim… it was about being Tim. If only I was as comfortable in my skin as Tim was at his age.
http://www.norcal-cobras.com/Tim/Tim-kevin.jpg
Tim at my dad’s 70th Birthday hanging with my brother. He had grown another half a foot since this picture about a year ago.
As we go through life, we have a choice of succumbing to our environment or circumstances, or taking a stand and doing better. Tim was one of those young people who was making the best of it… I am just so proud of him and what he was making of his life. The loss is so tragic in the sense that he was just getting started in life. Yet I am incredibly proud of the man he was developing into and I’m so thankful I told him that near every day we hung out together. Luckily there was very little if anything unsaid between us. Just about a month ago he was up to the house and he genuinely thanked me for being in his life. It’s the first time that he openly said something and it really meant a lot.. I know he appreciated our time together, but he didn’t really verbalize it. Im so thankful he did.
We had txt messaged just Saturday, the day before he passed with plans to hang out next weekend. My only regret is that we would have spent more time together lately. You know how you get busy and let life get in the way of what matters most.
If I can encourage any of you to do one thing in Tim’s spirit. Tell the people you care about you love them and support them and make time for them often. You never know when it might be too late. That, and don’t give young kids sports cars.
Tim, I miss and love you kid… Im proud of you! Say hello to God from us... I know he has big plans for you.
Until that day we meet again.
David