lummy 4 #1 May 22, 2002 Hey Guys n Gals,A friend of mine is doing two bicycle rides this summer to raise money for AIDS research. The monies are to be donated to 2 programs one of which is the UCLA AIDS research program. Even a few dollars will help if you can. The web site to donate is: here Thanks and Blue SkiesGaryHey, Gary ! How are you ? I wanted to say hello and give you an update on what I`m doing. I`m doing two AIDS bicycle rides this summer. I am biking a total of 1,152 miles to raise money for people living with HIV and AIDS in Northern California and the hope of finding a AIDS vaccine. I have to ride in 11 days and I have 1,500 more to raise before I can do this ride. Would you be able to sponsor me ? Its a great tax donation and they make it really easy. It would be great if you could give as much as you can, every bit helps. You can spread it out over time instead of making all the payments at once. I know its asking alot and these are tough times and the economy is horrible right now. I`m sponsoring myself for $500 because this is very important to me. Thanks, Gary for taking the time to read my email and for any contribution you are able to make. I`ll add my home page at the bottom of this email in hopes you are able to sponsor me and it has a bit more info about my rides. On a personal note, I`m dedicating my ride to my friends brother. He just passed away one month ago after fighting HIV for 17 years.Here is his story written by his niece. I`m sharing it because it was a huge motivator for me to do both rides and brought it even more into focus the fight we need to fight against this terrible disease. AN UNUSUAL BABY WALKER When I was about nine months old, I was starting to learn how to walk. I would prop myself up on coffee tables, chairs, or anything else I could hang onto, to practice standing without help, checking out the vertical world. Most babies have a walker they sit in and can roll around; thatâ€(tm)s how they learn to walk. But when my sister was learning, she had a walker that was very unusual, and about two years later, I had the privilege of using the same one. This walker was definitely an original and wasnâ€(tm)t sold in stores. It had four wheels and a seat to sit on, much like any normal walker. But what made it unlike the others were the two legs, two arms, body, and head connected to it: It was my Uncle Phil and his wheelchair. This is how I learned how to walk. When my sister was about one year old, in Dec. of 1984, my Uncle Phil was paralyzed from the waist down. He and my other uncle, Chris, went to the airport in San Antonio, Texas where they lived. They had purchased two tickets to Sacramento, CA so they could visit their family for Christmas later that month. Both of them were exhausted after a long day of work, and were heading back to their house. Phil was sleeping on the passenger side while Chris was driving. He started dozing off and should have pulled over to rest, but he just kept driving, until the care went off the road and did several flips, flinging my Uncle Phil out the back window, landing him in a ditch. His life was slipping away, and doctors had to shock him three times to bring him back. When he awoke three weeks later, after a major surgery and heavy doses of morphine, Phil realized he couldnâ€(tm)t move his legs. His spinal cord had been severed in the accident, while Chris walked away from it with only cuts and bruises. Phil was given a blood transfusion, which saved his life, but gave him HIV because testing blood for the virus hadnâ€(tm)t begun yet. Hospitals started testing blood six months later. Both of my uncles had been in the Marines, so when Phil was injured, the doctors wanted to send him to a Veterans of America Hospital on the East coast for rehabilitation. But his entire family lived in California, so my mother thought it would be better for her little brother to be sent to the V. A. in Palo Alto, CA. The Senator of California at the time helped arrange a Mercy Flight for him. It took him about three months to learn to use his wheelchair and how to live again, a totally different way. By the time I was born, Uncle Phil had had some time perfecting his moves in his chair, and could do wheelies and other cools stunts. He always found time to visit my family in Fremont, CA. I grew up on Uncle Philâ€(tm)s lap and I would push him around. Step by step, I learned how to walk, while at the same time, he was perfecting his rolling. This is why he was my â€oeUnusual Baby Walkerâ€. It has been almost 17 years since this horrifying accident, but my Uncle Phil is a fighter. He is a very independent man: owns his own home in Arizona, works for DHL, drives his own vehicle (with hand controls), dates, and enjoys life. He once said, â€oeIt took me a long time to realize there was a purpose for this (accident), to inspire other people with my courage, strength, and sense of humor, which in turn inspires me.†He still has HIV; not full-blown aids yet. No one knows how he lived through the accident, and especially how he has lived so long. He is truly a miracle, a huge part of my life, and my biggest role model. (Pardon the Pun) Written by Monica Orr October 4, 2001 Melanie`s homepage: http://homepage.bethepeople.com/display/mp_page.php?page_id=997 Thanks again for taking the time to read this and I hope this finds you well . Regards, Melanie Freeberg Message attachedOne shot... HEY!!! Mas Tequila!!!! Two Shots HEY HEY!!!! Three Shots....... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #2 May 22, 2002 Wow...threw me off there. I thought you were starting a thread to donate for Pammi's new boobies....."Here I come to save the BOOBIES!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sebazz1 2 #3 May 22, 2002 Lummy that is a good cause. I just sponsored my sister who is participating in the aids rides as well. I hope your bud can get his target.Sebazz........ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lummy 4 #4 May 22, 2002 Quotethought you were starting a thread to donate for Pammi's new boobies.....I think we'd have to evaluate them first to see what we were getting into first.Seb, Good for your Sister!! And You too :) Yeppers, I did the lawaway program ($25 a month for 10 months) but you can do whatever you want $5, (5 months of $5) whatever....I felt REALLY bad for my friend too. She organized a BBQ and got 4 live bands to play to help raise money but it was this last RAINY Sunday....One shot... HEY!!! Mas Tequila!!!! Two Shots HEY HEY!!!! Three Shots....... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
