Mary E. Rogers

HE NEVER GIVES UP

Today Dennis will be back to work at the medical center. I think he will retire in January. This weekend starts the racing season, if his driver gets the needed parts on his car. In between our appointments, we went to a restaurant for lunch.

For all he has been through he is such a pleasant person. He laughs easy and is always a gentleman. He walks with his cane and as hard as it is for him, he refuses for me to open and hold a door for him, he insists that he do it for me.

Last year was one of the great highlights of his life when he got to ride in his car. He had always wanted to drive but when Nam took that away from him, he did the next best thing… Last summer the track approved him to ride in his car down the track. They presented him with a helmet that everyone at the track signed. The money paid to sign the helmet, Dennis donated to Ronald McDonald House. I don’t know if I ever shared these pictures with you but the one was from last year when Dennis was suited up for his ride; the other is of his car a few years earlier.

Dennis has always done whatever was possible and if a dream was out of reach, he did the next best thing. He has never quit and he is an inspiration to me. He could be laying somewhere, allowing someone to care for him. He wouldn’t have had to work but he wanted more than that out of life. I don’t mean to go on about him, but he truly is the definition of a hero. To me he is, anyhow.

Dennis Haines, his driver and his car – 2004

Dennis Haines’ Car – at work – 2004