Updated: 8/24/2009 12:55:13 PM
This week, a Loudon County man diagnosed with ALS found out how close an online community can be.
Don Voorhis lives in Tellico Village where the self-described "car nut" has spent the last two years buying parts to build a replica of his dream car, the Ford Cobra.
"It was 1964 and there was a Cobra in this garage," said Voorhis. "I played hooky half the day and sat in the car, just daydreaming. I've wanted one ever since."
Voorhis frequented the FFCobra message board for advice on building the car. Then Don's project came to a screeching halt in February of this year when doctors diagnosed him with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
There is no cure for ALS, a cruel disease that slowly robs its victims of all physical abilities while leaving the mind intact. The disease essentially leaves patients paralyzed but completely aware of their surroundings, a prisoner in their own bodies.
As the disease progressed and left Don too weak to assemble his vehicle, the unfinished car gathered dust in his garage. Don decided to return to the ffcobra.com message board and sell his Cobra kit.
"The generosity of the people on the forum was amazing," he said. "They told me not to sell it and offered to travel here and build the car for me."
"It just touches your heart," said Cheryl Voorhis, Don's wife. "I don't think I can explain how good it makes you feel to know that someone really cares. We both cried like a baby."
Greg Marsh of Knoxville had built a Cobra kit identical to Voorhis's and quickly volunteered to organize several weekend "build parties" for volunteers to work on the car. Dozens of volunteers traveled from across the country to help build Don's Cobra over the course of 12 weeks.
See previous WBIR story from March 21, 2009.
"It was really heartwarming," said Don Freeman, a friend of the Voorhis family who also helped build the Cobra. "One guy came in from California to spend three days on the car. They came from everywhere."
Thousands of people followed every turn of the wrench online in what became a race to finish the car before ALS left Don unable to drive. In recent weeks, Voorhis started wearing a neck brace as his muscles have become too weak to constantly support his head.
"I figured they were going to need somebody to paint it, so we volunteered our services," said Jeff Collins, owner of Whitby Motor Cars in Greensboro, NC. "All of the guys in the shop really wanted to be a part of this and help Don."
Once the car was assembled, a forum member from Charlotte, NC, hauled it from Tennessee to Whitby Motor Cars in Greensboro for the paintjob.
"You spend a few months putting the thing together. Then when it is finally done, you have to hand it to more strangers and say goodbye to your baby," said Voorhis. "It was really tough trying to be patient while they painted the car."
Collins delivered the car to Voorhis on Thursday afternoon. A crowd of friends and local ffcobra.com forum members gathered at the Voorhis home for the unveiling of the completed Cobra. Checkered flags adorned Don's yard as he stood with children and grandchildren who traveled from as far away as Seattle, Washington, for the big event.
"When they opened the trailer and I saw the car, it was just unbelievable," said Don. "It's just amazing to see this car and know it's all done and you can drive it. It's fantastic."
Don then climbed into the car and sped around the block with Cheryl in the passenger seat.
"To see Don with his car brought tears to my eyes and a lot of the other guys here," said Freeman. "There have been a lot of people behind this project who were unable to be here and some who never actually worked on the car. But they followed the project every step of the way online and were here in spirit."
"It's rewarding to see a project like this come to fruition," said Marsh. "And it's very rewarding to see the happiness that Don has now that he has got his baby."
"We're just going to enjoy this while we can," said Don Voorhis. "And if it gets to the point that I can't drive the car anymore, we'll worry about it when the time comes. Right now I'm just so happy and cannot say enough about the generosity of the people who worked on the car. It is truly humbling."
Collins estimated the total monetary value of donated labor and materials for the project to be more than $30,000.
Factory-Five Racing manufactures the Mk3 Roadster kit. Factory-Five awarded Greg Marsh its first annual Legacy Award in June for his contributions to the Voorhis project.
