Derek Spencer Recovery Fund - #ShamuStrong
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Please Help Our Friend Derek Spencer
He's known to his thousands of friends and countless people in the racing industry simply as 'Shamu'. Derek Spencer has been a solid-fixture and friendly face in the Circle Track Racing Industry for decades. Whether he was working the pits with a Winston Cup team (Diamond Ridge Motorsports, Hendrick Motorsports, Morgan-McClure Motorsports) or working 'Being-the-Face' for such World Class product manufacturers like Performance Friction and Five Star Race Car Bodies, Derek is 'The Gentle Giant' that everyone looks forward to seeing at the professional-venue race tracks, Saturday night short-tracks and annual trade shows event from coast-to-coast. Derek had just recently started down an exciting new career path with Day Racing Products when unfortunately, this thing we know as ‘hard-core reality’ dealt Derek a life-changing challenge.
For those of you that have not heard the news, our friend Derek suffered a major health issue recently and really needs everyone's help in his journey forward.
In mid-August, Derek developed a blood infection from a Diabetes related wound on his leg and this started a chain reaction that caused his Liver and Kidneys to fail, causing fluid to build up on his Heart and Lungs leading to congestive heart failure. The pressure from the fluid and his being overweight made it hard for him to breathe and Derek ended-up in a coma on a ventilator for 2 weeks. He is semi-alert now and can in a way communicate with his caregivers. However, the stress that was on his liver caused a buildup of Ammonia in his blood which has left him to be in a very confused state. Derek was moved from CaroMont Hospital in Gastonia NC to a long-term critical care facility in Greensboro NC. However, due to recent events, the 'Magical Medical Money Machine' may be dictating that Derek be moved again soon to yet another facility due to insurance coverage. Derek has a very, very long road of recovery ahead of him.
This is now the time for everyone to step-up to help one of our own. Regardless if you're in the racing industry or not... Derek is 'Family' to all of us as he has touched thousands of people's lives over these many decades. He's always been the type of guy that would be there if you needed help, so now it's time for his ‘Family of Friends' and the entire racing community to shift into action. We all want to see is Shamu back at the track someday. So please just for today, give-up that cup of Starbucks coffee, that Five-Guys burger or that take-out pizza for this evening and give what you can to help the 'Mighty Mu'. Very small $5 donations can ad-up very quickly make a big difference and help Derek. We know that everyone out there right now has their own family & life challenges during this time of Pandemic, but all we can do is ask from you is to please give if you can.
May God bless each and everyone of you for your help and silent prayers. Please join us by sharing this fundraiser page with your friends and flooding the Internet with the hashtag... #ShamuStrong!
We have setup a dedicated Facebook Support page to keep everyone up-to-date on Derek’s progress on his long road back. Please visit the Derek Spencer Road to Recovery FB page at: https://www.facebook.com/Derek-Spencer-Recovery-Fund-ShamuStrong-113553010483151
Transparency Statement - This GoFundMe.com crowdsourcing/fundraising effort was organized by Scott O'Toole along with Scott Heintz as volunteer administrators with the 100% blessing and permission of the Spencer family. Any and all funds raised here on this GFM platform will go directly to Derek's future short and long-term medical and life-rebuilding expenses. Carol Johnson (Derek's mom), Kirk Spencer (Derek's brother) and Diane Foley (Derek's sister) will be sole beneficiaries of these funds raised, as they are now overseeing all of Derek's medical related and rehabilitation expenses.
He's known to his thousands of friends and countless people in the racing industry simply as 'Shamu'. Derek Spencer has been a solid-fixture and friendly face in the Circle Track Racing Industry for decades. Whether he was working the pits with a Winston Cup team (Diamond Ridge Motorsports, Hendrick Motorsports, Morgan-McClure Motorsports) or working 'Being-the-Face' for such World Class product manufacturers like Performance Friction and Five Star Race Car Bodies, Derek is 'The Gentle Giant' that everyone looks forward to seeing at the professional-venue race tracks, Saturday night short-tracks and annual trade shows event from coast-to-coast. Derek had just recently started down an exciting new career path with Day Racing Products when unfortunately, this thing we know as ‘hard-core reality’ dealt Derek a life-changing challenge.
For those of you that have not heard the news, our friend Derek suffered a major health issue recently and really needs everyone's help in his journey forward.
In mid-August, Derek developed a blood infection from a Diabetes related wound on his leg and this started a chain reaction that caused his Liver and Kidneys to fail, causing fluid to build up on his Heart and Lungs leading to congestive heart failure. The pressure from the fluid and his being overweight made it hard for him to breathe and Derek ended-up in a coma on a ventilator for 2 weeks. He is semi-alert now and can in a way communicate with his caregivers. However, the stress that was on his liver caused a buildup of Ammonia in his blood which has left him to be in a very confused state. Derek was moved from CaroMont Hospital in Gastonia NC to a long-term critical care facility in Greensboro NC. However, due to recent events, the 'Magical Medical Money Machine' may be dictating that Derek be moved again soon to yet another facility due to insurance coverage. Derek has a very, very long road of recovery ahead of him.
This is now the time for everyone to step-up to help one of our own. Regardless if you're in the racing industry or not... Derek is 'Family' to all of us as he has touched thousands of people's lives over these many decades. He's always been the type of guy that would be there if you needed help, so now it's time for his ‘Family of Friends' and the entire racing community to shift into action. We all want to see is Shamu back at the track someday. So please just for today, give-up that cup of Starbucks coffee, that Five-Guys burger or that take-out pizza for this evening and give what you can to help the 'Mighty Mu'. Very small $5 donations can ad-up very quickly make a big difference and help Derek. We know that everyone out there right now has their own family & life challenges during this time of Pandemic, but all we can do is ask from you is to please give if you can.
May God bless each and everyone of you for your help and silent prayers. Please join us by sharing this fundraiser page with your friends and flooding the Internet with the hashtag... #ShamuStrong!
We have setup a dedicated Facebook Support page to keep everyone up-to-date on Derek’s progress on his long road back. Please visit the Derek Spencer Road to Recovery FB page at: https://www.facebook.com/Derek-Spencer-Recovery-Fund-ShamuStrong-113553010483151
Transparency Statement - This GoFundMe.com crowdsourcing/fundraising effort was organized by Scott O'Toole along with Scott Heintz as volunteer administrators with the 100% blessing and permission of the Spencer family. Any and all funds raised here on this GFM platform will go directly to Derek's future short and long-term medical and life-rebuilding expenses. Carol Johnson (Derek's mom), Kirk Spencer (Derek's brother) and Diane Foley (Derek's sister) will be sole beneficiaries of these funds raised, as they are now overseeing all of Derek's medical related and rehabilitation expenses.
Organizer and beneficiary
Scott O'Toole
Organizer
Lakeland, FL
Carol Johnson
Beneficiary
