February 1, 1997

Greetings to all the Biker-Netters out there! You guys (generic... includes gals too, naturally!) are the GREATEST! group of people ... EVER! Your generosity and supportiveness are unequaled.

When Eddie first went down on March 26, 1994 it was you people who deluged us with cards, letters, pictures and shirts - from all over the world! The bikers in San Jose (where Eddie was a Computer Design Engineer in Compatible Systems with the Department of Design Verification at Amdahl Corporation) got together and helped me out with getting his house ready for market and in countless other ways. Thus they became faces to go with the E-mail posts, and thus the BMF Bike Club came into being. (I don't know for sure what BMF stands for, but in my mind, it will always be Beautiful Magnificent Friends!!. I'll never forget the motorcade that accompanied us part way to San Francisco before flying back east.

Many of you have told me of all the people out there who would love the chance to help out with doing something tangible to improve Eddie's life, but until I got a special trust fund for him, all money that was received had to go into his regular account and be used for his care as prescribed - no extra frills permitted. That would have just let Medicare off the hook a little, but would not have changed his care plan.

So when this van conversion place called to tell me about the gorgeous ready-to-go van with raised roof, raised door, rear-mount rotary lift, sofa-bed, passenger captain's chair, etc., I rushed out to see it. I put $2000 down on it to claim it. That's all I could do... I was way over extended because my own car had just been traded in the day before on a '95 Camry! So I called my buddy SunShine who does INDEED live up to her nickname. She has been a ray of sunshine in our lives, that's for sure. So she got the word out... and the rest is history! We will probably pick the van up next weekend [2/8/97]! Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts!

Love your letters, cards, pictures, good wishes! More importantly, so does Eddie. He reacts very positively: his eyes sparkle and dance, he smiles and laughs and vocalizes alot in affirmation to what is read, in recognition of some of the names and faces, in appreciation of the humor and support out there. This has come at a very opportune time, because Eddie's been very depressed and despondent the last month or so, and this has given him hope and joy again. I was beginning to catch his depression instead of pulling him out of the morass.

So ... the biggest, heartiest THANK YOU to each and every one of you! You have touched us so and warmed us and cheered us more than you will ever know. The innate goodness present on every human being has indeed risen to the surface. That's what life is all about: we have to be here for each other, in good times and bad, and reach out to lend a helping hand, and cheer and support each other. We're God's hands and feet. Bless you all!