Update To ANT Bike Mike Christmas Card For Al

Seems that we came through for Al! (see here, then see here)

I got a letter from Al ‘The Van man” on Friday. He wanted to thank everyone for all the letters he had received. [I am sure he has gotten a lot more since then].

Al was so impressed with the out pouring of concern that he wrote to me and said that he now feels like not giving up just yet! All said:

“You know how to make a grown man cry. I went to get my mail and I had a bunch of Christmas cards from people I didn’t know, from all over”

“I never thought there were still people like all of you left in the world”

They don’t know me from a hole in the wall, but yet they took the time out of their lives to send me a card and wish me well”

“After receiving your card and all the other cards and letters it picked up my spirits and made me want to go on with my life. It’s nice to know there are people out there who care for others whether they know you or not”

For people who had added a return address Al said he is going to send a note to each of you {this will give him some purpose for a while :}. Al asked about finding out the addresses of the anonymous card senders, but I will write to Al and tell him that many people would rather keep it that way.

I would like to say thank you to all that sent cards, letters, added links, face booked and such to get some needed attention to Al “the van man”

It will be interesting to see how this week ends up with the rest of the cards coming in and I will write to All and see how he is doing.

Thank you everyone for keeping my faith in humanity alive and well this holiday season, you are all amazing people, and Al if you ever read this, stay strong man.

(seems this made its way around the internet far and wide, I love everyone today 🙂

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Help ANT Bike Mike Make This Holiday Special For One Nice Older Guy

Over at ANT Bike Mikes website I found this very nice post, give Mike and hand if you care to this holiday season.

Anyone out there want to send a christmas card to an old dying man?

So here is the deal. About 4 years ago my shop van died and I needed a new $H!*%box van to use for my shop. I found a 1989 Dodge Caravan on Criaglist and had Marty at Geekhouse drive me down to Providence to see the van. The van was owned by this old couple, that were a little run down and the van looked pretty beat too, with many thousands of miles on it [200].

Marty thought I was crazy to buy the van, but I did and the couple seemed that they were going to miss it. The van was beat, but I drove it for many years and put lots of miles on it and even made some risky cross country road trips with it.

Ever since then I would get a christmas card from “Al…the guy with the van”. They must have been pretty lonely to send a card to a kid that bought an old used van, but I remember they looked pretty poor and lonely then. So I would send a card back each year.

So this year I get a sad card and letter from Al, telling me about his bad year. His wife Arlene [of 32 years] died and he had throat cancer and was treated with chemo, then later got colin cancer and he is pretty much done 🙁

He asked if I could send him a card. I just did and will probably be the last one. He must have no body, to write to a guy that bought a used van many years ago 🙁

So I thought, maybe…just maybe that someone else out there might have the time to send a card to a complete stranger to cheer him up.

All you have to say is:

Hi Al,

I am a friend of Mike “The guy that bought the van”. He told me you were having a hard time, so I thought I would say Happy Holdays!

Albert Dandeneau

10 Tell St. 1st Fl Providence, RI 02909

Just thought I would post this. You never know who might feel like doing a little something.

Thanks, Mike

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