I doesn't get any easier to miss the big H

[rareindian]

I still love to tell my story of my first Hershey, sludging thru the soupy mud, sleeping in the back of my Chevy Blazer for four days, hunting parts row by row from sunup to sundown. It was one of the best times of my life and I've had good trips there since then, but nothing like coming home that first time with the treasures I bought and the ones I could tell about seeing for years to come. Now two years in a row I have had to miss and it's by far one the hardest weeks to get thru just thinking of what I may be missing. I had hoped to go this year to hunt parts for my '30-'31 Pontiacs-especially windshield frame/posts for the '31 cabriolet. But, family economics again keep me home and I'm just wishing all you who did get to go a wonderful hunt! Sigh, maybe next year.

[Guest Silverghost]

I too will not be going this year !

My Dad just passed-away at 91 1/2 y/o and we have been going to Hershey together since the mid 1950s !!

Dad at 91 & I attended last year as usual !

Dad lived for old cars & old car events~ Especially Hershey & the Flea Market !

Dad attended the very first Hershey Meet !

It was entirely in the old Hershey Stadium with only a handfull of car parts flea market vendors!

I am simply devstated & very severly depressed over the death of my Dad !

I simply cannot attend the Hershey Meet this year without My Dad !

Sadly I may never be able to ever attend again !!!

It will never be the same without my Dad being there with me !

Edited October 7, 2010 by Silverghost (see edit history)

[rareindian]

Brad,

Very deeply sorry to hear about the loss of your dad and yet it's great too to hear how much the two of you shared in the love of old cars together. You two must have made so many really great memories of those trips. And, I can only imagine the hurt you feel-I too have some really great memories with my dad and I know I don't have too many more years left with him to make as many as I can.

I know this sounds cliche; but, do you really-really think your dad want's you to stop going? If you could ask him right now if you should stop-what do you think would be his answer? You are close to Hershey, maybe go and find a young person there who truly loves cars and do something to promote that-then smile as you think about how much your dad would have liked that. Hershey could become your annual celebration of your dad.

Sorry if I got too personal but I have thought alot about when that day comes for me, and for my son, too.

Rick Kennamore

[Guest billybird]

Silverghost: I am truely sorry for your great loss; however, I can relate to it. My dad and I always went to the Charlotte Auto Fair together. In the spring of 1989, we went Saturday and he died Tuesday morning, It's etched in my mind every Spring Auto Fair. I was working on a 1967 Galaxie Conv. at the time and did'nt even want to finish it because everytime I looked up I was expecting him to be there. Then I realized that as much as it hurt, I had to finish the car because thats what dad would have wanted. If he had been alive he would have "chewed me out" for letting a car set. Same way when it came time for the Auto Fair; he would have wanted me to go. He always maintained that when he died I had to keep on living. I know the hurt is fresh right now because I've been there. Then think about what your Dad would want. If he could speak now I'm sure he would say "carry on Son, carry on".

[Restorer32]

One of the very, very few things Dad and I ever shared was a love of Hershey and old cars. When he became ill and told me he couldn't make Hershey the year of his 60th birthday I knew he had finally stopped fighting the disease that took him only 3 weeks after Hershey '86.