So now that I am on my comp and not on my phone I feel the need to elaborate on the days most important event. We arrived to where tech/contingency will take place tomorrow here in Vegas for the BITD Vegas 2 Reno Race Event. I decided that I would go talk to a few people who were already there and give them first crack at the Fast-Aid.org Memorial Ribbon Stickers that I had to try and raise money for the California 200 incident. I approach a group and ask if they would be interested in donating. Immediately Steve from Tracking International says "this gentleman was the father to the girl who lost her life..." My heart sank. I saw tears well up in his eyes as I began to explain that I am doing this on behalf of Fast-Aid and the entire off road community.
I explained that I know words cannot come close to replacing the feeling he must have but I assured him that we as a community do feel his pain and do want to do all we can to get behind him and his family to ensure that no other families have to endure this type of pain. He commenced to thank me, thank Fast-Aid, and thank the community for all the outpouring of love. He said this as he held back tears of obvious sorrow.
He then opened up a bit about the tragedy that took his daughters life. He introduced me to his daughter's friend who was with her that dark day, she too was injured and walking with a limp. He began to explain that he does not hold Brett Sloppy responsible for this horrific accident. He understands that this was exactly that, an accident. He does feel that the organization putting on this event does have responsibility in this and that it was their job to control this crowd and keep people back and away from the track, essentially enforcing the rules they have in place.
In all he was not trying to push blame, just saying that if there was anything that could have prevented this tragedy from occurring it would have been MDR keeping the people back off the track in one of the most popular spectating points of the marked race course. As a fan and advocate of off road racing it is hard for me to think otherwise, and in his state I am in no place, nor is anyone to try and tell him or anyone who is suffering otherwise.
At the end of the day I feel proud to be a part of this community. I feel proud to know some of the guys at Fast-Aid and feel proud to be able to go out and represent them and help them try to relieve some of these humans long term pain and suffering. I guess what I am trying to say is as the days go on following this event, the pain for these family, friends, and victims does not subside as quickly as the memories of those of us who were not there or directly involved. We all need to keep this fire burning, for a long time, for ever! We need to never forget those who lost their lives, and certainly not forget about those family members and friends who lost someone they love.
Fast-Aid FOR LIFE, and I pledge to NEVER FORGET those who lost their lives at the California 200.
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