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Quincey Carr's Dream Takes Flight

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Oakland Firefighters Random Acts is a 501(c)3 non-profit tax-exempt organization started by Oakland Firefighters so they can create Random Acts of Kindness when they encounter people in need in the Community and after their 9-1-1 Emergency calls.  Recently, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff forwarded a request to 'Random Acts' from Oakland Police Sergeant Clay Burch to help a young man named Quincey Carr fulfill his dream to become a Flight Instructor.  Quincey had just obtained his commercial pilots license and was in the running for a job as a commercial pilot just before he was shot in the back and paralyzed from the waist down. 

Here is Oakland Police Sergeant Clay Burch's story:

"I had never met 32 year-old Quincey Carr before this year, but I had seen him on the island of the intersection of Hegenberger and Edgewater in Oakland numerous times in his wheelchair with his local furniture signs and his bullhorn yelling at passing motorists promoting the furniture store.  One day while on a duty break, I visited the furniture store and told the store employees that I would have never visited the store if it wasn’t for the guy in the wheelchair and the bullhorn.  I was later told by store management that Quincey was their best employee. I still, at this time, knew nothing about Quincey, not even his name.  One day, timing had it that I stopped in my patrol car right at the intersection on a red light.  During that time, I called Quincey over and told him that I put in a good word for him at the furniture store. He smiled and asked me if I knew a certain Police Sergeant which I had.  He told me that this particular Sergeant had solved the case against the person who had shot him rendering him paralyzed.  I said goodbye, but I still knew nothing about Quincey.

After driving away from Quincey, I called the Sergeant that Quincey told me about and found out some astonishing news about this guy named Qunicey Carr.  I found out that he was an innocent victim of Oakland street violence in 2006.  He had been getting his haircut at an Oakland barbershop when a man who Quincey had earlier told to stop hitting on his girlfriend returned to the barbershop and shot him numerous times, rendering him paralyzed and thereby changing his life forever.  I also found out that Quincey had just obtained his commercial pilots license and was in the running for a job as a commercial pilot just before he was shot.  I couldn’t believe it.  This smart hardworking guy had his whole future ripped away from him in one tragic moment.

 As I got to know Quincey more and more, as I stopped by and spoke to him while he worked his corner for the furniture store, I found out some more amazing things about him.  One was that he was still flying at a Bay Area flight based operation and taking friends on plane rides.  He was also teaching ground instruction at a local flight school, but he could not continue with the students in the air due to him not having his flight instructor’s certification.  Quincey also played piano at a large hotel in Union City one night a week to make ends meet.

On most days that Quincey is on his corner I see 2-3 other non-handicapped and healthy appearing people soliciting money from passing motorists.  Meanwhile, Quincey earns every penny he makes and asks nothing from anyone.  Just today I saw him pulling the large bi-fold wooden furniture store sign down the road and back to the store, slowly but surely, as his wheelchair is not motorized.  Quincey also wanted to tell me today that he once had a photograph taken with one of his heroes…Chesley “Sully" Sullenberger.  

My dream is to help Quincey realize his dream - to realize some semblance of the life he was also meant to realize.  Although he expects nothing from us, I know that he is excited about the possibility.  Helping people like Quincy is why I became a police officer to begin with.  It is more than a worthy cause.  A young man who was a victim of senseless violence had his whole life changed in an instance.  I want to see him live some semblance of a life that he was supposed to be living before he was shot and paralyzed". 

Sincerely,
Clay Burch
Sergeant of Police
Oakland Police Department

After this letter was written by Sergeant Clay Burch, a partnership of generous donors raised the funds needed to pay for Quincey Carr to receive Flight and Ground Training in the Pacific States Aviation Certified Flight Instructor Course. 

Watch the surprise presentation to Quincey Carr from Captain "Sully" Sullenberger: 
http://www.ktvu.com/news/216088073-story 

Quincey will need funds to help pay for his basic living expenses including rent, food, utilities, transportation, gas, maintenance, clothes, toiletries and other basic necessities while he is training to become a  Flight Instructor and beyond. 

Please help a Police Officer help to make his dream and goal a reality and help Quincey Carr take flight.  Help Quincey to sustain this goal by donating to this fund and helping to keep him in flight school.  Until Carr finishes the course, he will need assistance with day to day expenses.  We want to ensure his dream and goal stays in the air and life's expenses don't bring him down.

Oakland Firefighters Random Acts is extremely greatful for your contribution, and we Thank You from the bottom of our hearts. 

As the great Jackie Robinson once said, "We are only measured by the differences we make in the lives of others".  Please help to make a difference in the life of Quincey Carr.

Thank You.

For more information on Oakland Firefighters Random Acts go to:   www.OFRandomActs.org 

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Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • $200 
    • 7 yrs
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Organizer and beneficiary

Cindy Chin
Organizer
Oakland, CA
Oakland Firefighters Random Acts
Beneficiary

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