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Harold, 84, has loved cars all of his life. As a young man, Harold began working in order to save up enough money to buy a car. Since Harold bought his first car, he has been able to take apart an engine and put it back together without a manual or guide. He knows all the ins and outs of cars. He has owned a 1937 pick-up truck, a 1948 Plymouth, and he currently owns a 1957 red and white Chevy that he had restored. Harold loves owning, working on, driving, and watching cars. Harold and his family went to the racetrack every year. Harold was even at the very first race when Daytona 500 opened up. He has been to racetracks up and down the east coast. Cars are a big passion of his and have always been a large part of his life.

Harold was a deacon for his church. In this role, he helped to maintain and coordinate maintenance for the church grounds. Harold would visit the homes of individuals interested in joining the church and also those who were unable to attend the church services. Harold would also repair and do general maintenance on the church buses. Harold was an active deacon for about 25 years and is still an inactive deacon. Harold volunteered as a deacon until he was no longer healthy enough to do so. Harold currently helps around his community as much as he can. He helps with conducting general maintenance as well as tasks like clearing the dead leaves from the courtyard and preparing meals. Harold loves to stay busy and help others. His service to those around him is as much a part of his daily life as his passion for cars.

Wish of a Lifetime and Brookdale Senior Living  were excited to get Harold back out to the racetrack to ride in a race car on November 10th of 2018. Harold was accompanied by 10 of his closest family and community members. Kelly Crouch (Memory Care Coordinator) described the events up to the ride: “While we were in line, he saw the race helmets on the rack and reached for one. He laughed. He climbed over the pit road wall as if he had done it a 100 times. When his race car pulled up, he said, ‘I’m going to ride in that one.'”

Charlotte Motor Speedway provided Harold and his companions with an hour long tour of the speedway before his exhilarating race car ride. “He thoroughly loved the tour and talked about racing the best way he knew how. Harold truly enjoyed his tour and ride along. He thanked everyone and proclaimed he was the ‘most blessed man on the face of this world,’” Kelly recounted. With Harold’s wish completed, Kelly reported that, “Harold’s daughter, Robin came to talk to me and was teary eyed as she said, ‘I know Dad has already forgotten the day at the racetrack and his car ride, but he enjoyed every moment. I feel like he and Mom had one last blast together, remembering their lives, our lives together through Mom. Nothing will take the day from her, him, or us.'” Despite living with Alzheimer’s, this is a wish that will live on for Harold through everyone it touched.