You can call me the Rusty Buffalo

By JOEL JACOBSON Bright Spot | 5:01 AM

The specially-equipped van behind Ian and Angie MacLeod of Beaver Bank has been owned by three men with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease. The MacLeods want to pass it on, at no cost to the recipient, to someone with ALS who may benefit as they have from this means of transportation and independence. (Joel Jacobson)


I’M SITTING HERE, unused, but not unloved, in a Beaver Bank driveway.

I’m a 1992 Dodge Ram van with a long history on the road — 213,705 kilometres worth of ride.

For the last 50,000 kilometres or so, I’ve been the transportation for three men with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and commonly called ALS.

It’s a devastating disease, causing progressive paralysis due to degeneration of the upper and lower motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord.

I was the ride for former Halifax councillor Larry Uteck, who, because of me, was able to travel comfortably to his full-time job as athletic director at Saint Mary’s University.

Larry used my services until he died on Christmas Day, 2002. As I later sat in his yard, sad because I was of no more use, his wife, Sue, wondered what to do with me. I was used by a theatre company for awhile but then sat in storage.

Halifax regional Coun. Reg Rankin knew of Ward Wheadon of Timberlea, who had just been diagnosed with ALS and was aware Sue owned an appropriately equipped van.

"It really held no happy memories for me," councillor Sue says today.

"I was willing to give it away. I bought it from Community Services but certainly didn’t want to make any money off it."

She and the Wheadons made arrangements for transfer of ownership, and Ward had the transportation he needed.

I was in pretty rough shape. There was lots of rust. In fact, the Uteck kids called me the Rusty Buffalo. And the electric lift needed work. My paint was shot and Ward, a big NASCAR fan as I’d later discover, even added NASCAR decals to my sides.

His NASCAR "affair" resulted in my taking Ward’s family and friends to Loudon, N.H., for a big race. I was treated like a king. Race organizers found me a special parking spot near the site Oh! Maybe that was for Ward, but I felt pretty special, too.

"If the van had been used for nothing else, that trip made it worth it," says Janet Wheadon, Ward’s wife.

"But we used it for all his appointments, for trips around the province and to travel everywhere until Ward became housebound in his last six months."

Janet laughs as she relates how son Adam, then 16 and a new driver, was constantly followed by the police as he occasionally drove the van on errands and to school.

"He was once followed into our driveway, but when they saw Ward in the back of the van, they apologized. They said they wanted to make sure everything was on the up and up."

After Ward passed away on April 2, 2006, Janet wondered what to do with the van which she, like Sue, wanted to give to someone who needed it.

"It was a miracle for us that Ward had use of the van. We were able to go everywhere, for Ward to retain some sort of independence."

Janet spoke to a physiotherapist who knew a family that could use it. "When we moved the van to them in August 2006, it was a warm fuzzy feeling for me and my sons."

When Ian and Angie MacRae saw me, they were immediately enthralled. I heard them say, "We don’t have to stop. Ian can go to his Masons meetings. We can go to Neptune Theatre and do all the things we’ve always done."

They had to spend money on me — to cover some rust, get new tires, and other little things I needed. Man, did I look spiffy! And, at Janet’s request, they kept the NASCAR decals Ward loved so much.

The MacRaes used me until last May when other parts of me started to fail. I’m old, you know. They got a new van that could be adapted so Ian could sit in his chair in the front seat beside Angie. Now I’m sitting, lonely, but everything still works. I drive nicely, Angie has told people.

"We hope someone out there who can use this van will contact us," says Angie. "The ALS Society of Nova Scotia has told us they’ll sell it for us and we’d gladly give the money to them."

Knowing what the future holds, Angie says, "They’ve done so much for us. We’re planning to pass on any equipment we have to them when the time comes."

Ian, whose voice is failing as ALS takes a deeper hold, says, "We’ve gotten so much pleasure from having the van. Surely there’s someone who can use it."

Even though I’m 15 years old, I know I can be of use. All you have to do is call Angie at 864-8399. She loves me, and what I’ve done for Ian and her, but wants me to go a good home. After serving Sue and Larry, Janet and Ward and now Ian and Angie so well, I think I’m ready to move on to someone else who needs me.

Bright Spot appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Be sure to read Great Kids in The Sunday Herald. Contact Joel Jacobson via e-mail at jjacobson@herald.ca or fax at 902-426-1158, or phone at 902-426-2811, ext. 2222.

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