Folks Of Interest Thank You (Hambandys Dad)

A person is measured by those who measure themselves by that person. I think a lot of people on this board will measure themselves and Andy will be the bar.
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I will look at my strength and know that Andy was stronger. I will look at the pain I’ve encountered and know that Andy endured more without complaint. I will look at my projects and know that a young man did more with less. <O
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An angel has flown and is dancing in the stars and seeing what it is all about and not wondering anymore.<O
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T<O

 

Andy is the best of the best....thanks Andy

 

It is with great sadness AND great joy that I read this thread. I'm so glad I was privilaged to get on the begining of the Hamb Andy saga. Early on I sent Andy a radio controlled car to help him take his mind off his problems and Chris i still have the Email you sent telling me about how he enjoyed it. I'll keep it forever. My wife and I vowed that if he ever made it to the HAMB drags we would do whatever it took to be there and meet our hero. The Hamb Andy tee shirts will be worn on special occasions and when anyone asks we'll share the story of this wonderful young man. His plaque is right here beside me on the bullitin board and I look at it every day to remind me that any problems I might have pale in comparison to what he went through.
Cris, we'll continue to pray for you and your family as you carry on without Andy. He would want only the best for you and know he's watching your every move, make him proud. I'm out of kleenex.

Frank

 

Thank you roe sharing and God bless you and your family.

 

He was more of a man than any of us. This brings tears to my eyes.

 

What I remember most is the smile that never seemed to fade and the passoin he had will always remain in my memories.

He was a champion of mine,both in sprit and courage and a credit to his parents who encouraged him and aided him in fulfilling his dream,,to build a traditional hot rod and to experience what most of us ol' greybeards have lived and loved for many years.

His short stay with us here on the Hamb left a big impact and his untimely passing has left a even bigger hole in our collective hearts.

Chris,Thank you so much for allowing us the story of the final hours with your family.

As it was said in a earlier post,,the Good Lord had a purpose for Andy,,,part of that purpose had to be to open some of our eyes and help us see what is really important. HRP

 

Chris, Thanks for sharing such personal feelings with us. It's hard enough for people to talk about it with family or even think about it. It takes real guts to go out there and tell us all. Andy had a good bunch of family and friends. I'm proud to be even loosely tied to you all.

 

As a father, I can't imagine what it took for you and your family to go through this with your child. I really thank you for sharing this totally private experience with us. It was very difficult to finish reading, through the tears, but it does address the positive side of humanity that life periodically shows us. Like my mother, who I lost three weeks ago, Andy is somewhere else..... happier and no longer burdened by his earthly frailties. Thank you and Bless you and your family.

 

Words cannot express what I am feeling right now. Please know what an impact your son had on all of us!

 

Dunnie I am all choked up and unable to get out of my office at this time as my eyes are watery. God bless you and your family. RIP Andy

 

Speechless,god bless you dunnie and your family,thanks for sharing this with us

 

I just don't know what to say.

 

i have two kids, so i can somewhat imagine the pain you must have felt. god blees andy and your family

 

I, unfortunately, found the HAMB after Andy's passing. I was never blessed enough to talk to him. However, the stories I have read, and the people I have spoken to make me feel as if I had known him. He was/is a wonderful son that I am sure you are most proud of. I pray that God heals the hurt for you and your family. Thank you for sharing a few moments of your private life with us.

 

My small contribution pales beside your loss. I'm very sorry..sounds like Andy was mature beyond his years. Too choked up to say more...........

 

That was terribly painful and also tremendously inspiring to read.
It is good to know that through Rich Venza's efforts and those of several of our artists, Andy plaques by the hundreds will perpetuate his memory throughout the hotrod world.
He will be riding everywhere from Bonneville to Billetproof.

 

You nailed it Chris..Thanks

fitzee

 

Many people live a very long life and yet don't "LIVE" half as much as some one like Andy did. We play the cards we are dealt and we can fold a bad hand or we can work to make the best out of the situation. That is what Andy did and for that I am not sad, I am happy that his was a life well lived, especially when you consider the cards he was dealt. We all can learn a lesson or two from the way this young man lived his short life. I drink a toast to you Hambandy and celebrate your life!

 

I'm crying more now then when i read about his passing a way.
LONG LIVE HAMBANDY

 

I am not sure how you got the courage to post this.I could have never gotten the strength.I hope Andy's memory lives on forever.I can only think of the words spoken in The Wizard Of Oz that went[Love isn't meant by how much you love but how you are loved by others].Andy had a lot of love from many friends.

 

Dunnie,

"Fathers don't raise heroes, they raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes". - Schirra

Rest assured Andy was a hero in a very many eyes

God bless, may your family find some small measure of comfort from all you've given us here

 

You are one hell of a man, I could not have wrote that. God bless you and your family for all that you have been through, and we all learned a lot from Andy. RIP

 

God bless....

 

same here from prince edward island wish i had of got to know him better Mike

 

I wear my shirt with pride. My truck will wear it's memorial plate with pride.

 

RIP Andy.......

 

Chris,

Thank you for sharing a very personal time in your life with us. As many have already said, Andy gave us much more than we could have ever possibly given to him.

I keep the picture of his car at the car show as the wallpaper on my work computer. Many people have dropped into my office and asked about the car. It gives me an opportunity to share a little about Andy, our hero.

I consider it one of the great losses in my life that I never got to meet Andy in person.

I never have had as much time to spend on the H.A.M.B. as I'd like to, but for a long time whenever I signed on the first thing I did was to do a search for "hambandy" hoping for an update on his condition and activities.

So, welcome to the H.A.M.B.; and please accept my condolences on Andy's passing. I know it's been quite a while now, but I imagine that for you it's fresh all over again every day. Your family has been in my prayers for several years now and will continue to occupy a place there for many years to come.

Got to go now, the screen is getting blurry; must need a new one...

 

Chris bless you and your family.....That was a hard thing for me to read ..I cant imagine what you are going through...We are all better people for knowing Andy, even if it was only over the internet..The only thing I can say to you Chris is, make sure Andy's Hotrod get's put to good use......RIP Andy..

 

I could not even reply when I first read this as I had to step back, dry my eyes and wash my face.

As many of you have said Andy was an inspiration to all of us, his courage was unbelievable.

I could never tell Andy's story and what the HAMB has done for him without choking up, now I'm telling the story of how Andy has inspired so many of us on the HAMB.
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We will remember later on in August while at the HAMB Drags how we tried to get Andy to Joplin the year before last. And, how many of us showed up with parts and pieces for Andy's car when we knew Andy was not going to make it to the Drags. How proud we were all to sign the dash for Andy's car and how we all looked for our names on the dash when it was installed hoping that in some small way we were personally responsible for the smile on Andy's face.
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RIP Andy

 

You were a very lucky man to have a son like Andy.