It is with a saddened heart that I pass along the news of one of our own.
A lifelong friend, mentor and client, Tom McDuffie of the north county San Diego scene (any HAMS out there would know of KM6K at the Kerney Mesa “HRO”) had suffered a stroke while driving home on Friday in the early afternoon. He was able to pull the car to the side of the freeway (State Route 52) and then lost consciousness. The CHP found him in his car a few hours later and had to break the driver side window to get into the car. Tom was taken to a local hospital where he remains unconscious in ICU. His condition is still being evaluated but is not doing well. As stated, he is still unconscious (not medically induced) and is not a candidate for surgery at this time. He is suffering from paralysis, although… it is too soon to make any further diagnosis.
Tom was a many time participant at the So Cal ‘Good Guys’ events and was the recipient of various awards over the years. As of late… his yellow 69 F-body was the display car for Crager at last years SEMA… and is also the latest car being used in their magazine advertisement. I myself have seen this particular car/chassis go through a few different builds over the years… which I started on shortly after he purchased the car in mid 1993. He has pretty much been a First Generation Camaro guy from the get go… as he has had chassis of all the first three years of production. Not to mention that he has not stuck with any particular flavor… be it a rat motored 68 set up for the 1320… a concourse 67 coupe… to the latest build of his daily driver and now famous 69 that he recently put bags on just for something to play with.
The last couple of years have been somewhat rough for Tom and family… as son his Derek, who had been one of the best body guys for the First Generation F-body in southern California, turned custom Harley builder… was in a motorcycle accident on the Interstate 5 about two years ago and as it was… Derek died just about a year ago.
Religious or not… I can only hope and ask for all to give a thought and/or a prayer for Tom and his family at this trying time. The last thing I heard from his wife Susan today, is that Tom was not expected to survive this.
73’s to Tom and 88’s to Susan.
Good luck, God speed to any recovery and… thanks Tom.
Tom's car on Cragers website
~chicane
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A moment for one of our own please...
FRED 
Hybrid Mode
