Somber Nation
It seems as though everywhere I look lately there is a tragedy befalling a friend or acquaintance. Its difficult to feel so helpless when others are in pain and grieving across the country. Instances like this really show how insignificant all the little nuisances in life really are. I've sought out every way to help those I can.
Fellow Pro 5.0 racer Tofie Haddad passed away in an auto accident in Detroit on August 21. I met Tofie at the races this year, and he was a great, energetic guy, and a heck of a racer. Godspeed, Tofie. You'll be missed.
Nika, founder of the Racerchicks lost her mother 3 months ago. She and her mother had shared the honor of being the top fundraiser for the Heart & Stroke Foundation Mother/Daughter Walk-a-thon for several years. This year, she has been asked to be a National Spokesperson for the event, and to share the experience with the media, only this year, she'll be walking alone. I cannot imagine how difficult that burden is for her to bear right now, but I have offered my support through donation, and will be there with her in spirit on her walk. If you'd like to help also, you may use this online donation form.
And of course, the nationwide pain felt by Hurricane Katrina's devastation of the lower Mississippi Basin is incredible. The last Category 5 hurricane was Andrew, and that storm left a permanent scar on Miami and South FL. This hurricane has even exceeded Andrew in terms of devastation and deceased. I feel so utterly helpless sitting here in GA, safe and dry. At work, we have undertaken the task of printing the Biloxi newspaper, one of our sister Knight-Ridder papers.
EDIT: And if things couldn't have hit closer to home. A phone call this evening... my uncle in Puerto Rico has passed on. I'll be headed to Orlando tomorrow to accompany my mother to Puerto Rico for his funeral. I will be out of contact for the remainder of the weekend, and through most of next week.
God Bless all those in grief and pain during these trying times.
Fellow Pro 5.0 racer Tofie Haddad passed away in an auto accident in Detroit on August 21. I met Tofie at the races this year, and he was a great, energetic guy, and a heck of a racer. Godspeed, Tofie. You'll be missed.
Nika, founder of the Racerchicks lost her mother 3 months ago. She and her mother had shared the honor of being the top fundraiser for the Heart & Stroke Foundation Mother/Daughter Walk-a-thon for several years. This year, she has been asked to be a National Spokesperson for the event, and to share the experience with the media, only this year, she'll be walking alone. I cannot imagine how difficult that burden is for her to bear right now, but I have offered my support through donation, and will be there with her in spirit on her walk. If you'd like to help also, you may use this online donation form.
And of course, the nationwide pain felt by Hurricane Katrina's devastation of the lower Mississippi Basin is incredible. The last Category 5 hurricane was Andrew, and that storm left a permanent scar on Miami and South FL. This hurricane has even exceeded Andrew in terms of devastation and deceased. I feel so utterly helpless sitting here in GA, safe and dry. At work, we have undertaken the task of printing the Biloxi newspaper, one of our sister Knight-Ridder papers.
EDIT: And if things couldn't have hit closer to home. A phone call this evening... my uncle in Puerto Rico has passed on. I'll be headed to Orlando tomorrow to accompany my mother to Puerto Rico for his funeral. I will be out of contact for the remainder of the weekend, and through most of next week.
God Bless all those in grief and pain during these trying times.
Posted by Erica Ortiz on Thursday, September 01, 2005 at 1:18 PM | Permalink 
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