The Support of Glen Dodd
Last year we were running smooth until we broke a rear control arm somewhere between Kentucky and Ohio. The breakdown itself was not the best experience ever. We had to stop over the crest of a hill, past a bridge, and where not overly visible from all oncoming traffic. We were off the road safely, but we would have been hard pressed to flag down anybody, as people only saw us once they were over the hill.
The first person to stop, drove miles down the road to the next exit, turned around and came back on the other side of the divided highway, only to have his team mate drop him off, while he jumped over the median to come over and help. It was over and above the call of helping somebody and it made us truly feel like we were part of one big team. That man was Glen Dodd. Glen owns the Carolina Rod Shop and is a staple icon in the One Lap of America list of participants.
Glen was actually the first person we met when we arrived at the hotel for One Lap in South Bend. With our Upstate New York accents and Glen’s Carolina accent, we didn’t understand a word he was saying and was a moment you had to be there to appreciate. After a few laughs about it, we resorted to single words, asking for BEER, where Glen was able to point us to the bar.
We just got word that Glen Dodd was injured this week after a terrible fall from a roof and is in pretty ruff shape. While we can mend a control arm on the side of the road, we can’t do much more than offer our support for Glen and his family as he goes through some rough times. Keep an eye on the Carolina Rod Shop website for updates, as we all hope for the best for Glen.
I have been wondering about Glen recently and visited the rod shop site. There are near-daily updates, the last being march 9 at this point. He has been through some horrible, unbelievable weeks of pain and suffering that most people would probably not be able to endure. But he’s one tough guy, and if he doesn’t do himself in with his stubborn determination to go home, much to the frustration and fear of his family and physicians, his progress, which is amazing, should continue.
When someone as special as Glen touches the lives of people who are special to me, there seems to be a ‘bond by proxy’.
I hope his doctors will be giving him the green flag soon. He’s already won the ‘checkers’ in my book.
RochesterDSM One Lap team…..you are awesome!!