Back in the day, my Uncle Jack hired me as an apprentice painter to help apply chinking to a log cabin mansion for the owner of Continental Airlines near Aspen, Colorado.
The tail end of the truck you see in the picture was his new truck after I hydroplaned, rolled and wrecked his Silverado, tools, supplies and best dudes inside.
This is the only picture I have related to him when we were in Lake Powell, Utah after the wreck. (Me and my little Brother)
Jack was sick one morning and told me to pick up his main dudes to run the large paint crew for the day. (Mexicans with a lot of cheap cocaine)
A freak blizzard hit the Mountain and cabin/mansion we were working on. Jack told us to shut it down and head home for the day.
After about 30 minutes of driving the snow changed to a heavy down pour of rain.
A gold Honda accord was driving slow in the left lane when the foreman riding shotgun told me to pass em’ with a forward waving motion.
The vibe was good. Going home early, rocking out to motley crue while they drank beer and smoked joints.
As I began to pass the car on the right, we both hit a dip in the road that had deeps ruts full of water.
The truck started to turn sideways when the car bumped us enough to start rolling into the median at around 75mph.
I remember holding on to the wheel while all three of us yelled at the top of our lungs with fear as we started alligator rolling.
Only one wheel remained when it stopped. They had to use the jaws of life to rescue the Man in the back seat- full body cast.
I’m not sure what injuries the foreman suffered-. I don’t even know how I/we got out of the truck.
Sitting on the ground until the paramedics hauled us off to the hospital was a real moment of Shock.
I only had a few small cuts on my back from the broken glass.
My first assumption was that Jack was going to kill me for this. Definitely fired.
When he seen me in the Hospital he put his hand on my shoulder, looked me in the eye and said-
“We can replace the truck, but we can’t replace you”
My Dad never said that or even showed up to the emergency room, so that was cool to hear.
A couple weeks ago I was informed he had been hospitalized for his bad heart (since birth).
I didn’t have his new number and asked My Mom at Easter for it.
He had returned home to recover, so I assumed he was ok or that I had time to talk to him.
It crossed my mind to text or call him yesterday, but I put it off for whatever reasons.
This afternoon I learned he passed away this morning…
Procrastination usually leads to regret; this is an example.
Another good person that helped form part of my character.
A great painter with a good sense of humor that will be missed.
This is out of respect for him and a reminder for me to do better.