Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

All of us original, longtime "Hosers" know Shawn McDonald well...I met him in the old, long defunct Hoseheads Chat Room around 1998 and I consider him one of my closest friends. It pains me to pass along this information about Shawn, but I know that Hoseheads was a virtual lifeline to him and he made a lot of friends. It is with great sadness that I pass this along from his wonderful mom Arlene...I am flying out tomorrow to say goodbye to my old friend.

Shawn recently had an accident that had him in the hospital for two weeks with no relief from the pain and suffering. Shawn made the decision last Friday to let go. He has fought valiantly for the last 24 years and is a true hero to all. We currently have him home providing him comfort care, to prepare him for his next great adventure.

Shawn sends his love to all of you and will cherish all the love, friendship and memories you provided him.

Member of this message board since 1997

Damn this sucks,   I only had limited opportunity to meet Shawn in real life,  but I enjoyed chatting with him in the old chatroom.   

A great guy and to be honest,  I probably chatted with him for 6-10 months before I knew his backstory.   

For those who don't know the back story...

From Shawn McDonald

“May 30th 1996-Today marks 20 years to the day that my life was so drastically changed. Not bad seeing how the doctors first didn't think I would last a night, then after a few days, said a few weeks, then a few months before finally deciding 1-2 years max because people who don't get out of bed and have heart problems like mine develop pneumonia and die, usually rather quickly, but I'm still here! I have had several close calls over the years after numerous bouts with pneumonia, 10+ surgeries, MRSA, cancer, gangrene infected gallbladder, blood clots, a phantom infection that pops up every few years, even a 2nd or 3rd heart attack! But you can't keep a good man down (well good is debatable, come to think of it some of my friends may say the man part is debatable too), so I better just say you can't keep me down! Sometimes I think I'm going to be the sole survivor, when the nuclear holocost comes, after all the meds, poison and radiation they've pumped through my veins! The last time I was in the hospital one of the nurses got my sense of humor and was joking around about the size of my medical chart and he brought it into show me and said this thing is longer than the bible! I attribute my longevity to my mother (if you don't know her she is truly a SAINT), my excellent caregivers, all my awesome friends, and my ability to laugh/my warped sense of humor (literally, when I get laughing really hard, my lungs expand and that helps keep the fluid from settling in my lungs and causing pneumonia! Everyone knows how much I love a good joke, both by and on me! I have been blessed with the BEST friends! Some as old as grade school through a just the last few months, but I mean some really good friends "lifers"! When something like this happens to you, you really find out who your friends are. Some who you thought were really great friends disappear, some reappear and some never leave your side! I have purposely not mentioned any names but please know I love all of you lifers!
Some of you may not know what happened to me.
When I was 24 I got very sick. The doctors thought I had severe asthma then they said I had chronic bronchitis. They would give me antibiotics and I would improve for a week or so but never get all the way better. each time I would get sicker and sicker. Finally after this happened like 5 times, my friend who was a nurse took me to the hospital where she worked, after running a bunch of tests they determined I had Congestive Heart Failure, later testing determined a virus had attacked my heart causing Congintal Dilated Cardiomyopathy (basically a sick or diseased heart) and said l needed a heart transplant. They put me on a bunch of medicines told me they would contact me when a heart became available. I would spend my days walking at the mall, then I started riding a stationary bike and made friends with a guy who invited me to go mountain biking with him. Turns out he was studying exercise physiology and he worked with me and my heart got stronger and stronger until I could ride my bike up any mountain, but my heart rate got dangerously low because I was in such good shape and doctors were concerned my heart rate would just get so low that my heart would just stop while I was sleeping. When I was 26 on May 30th 1996 they were putting a pacemaker in my chest to make sure my heart rate didn't drop to low. During the surgery
my heart stopped and it took them 45 minutes of shocking me with the paddles and CPR to get my heart to start beating normally again. That caused a severe lack of oxygen to my brain, causing a traumatic brain injury. As a result I can't walk, talk or eat! But thankfully most of the damage was to the area of my brain that controls motor skills and except for some short term memory loss most of my thought process and memories remain in tact, and most importantly I can still smile and laugh!
Sent from Shawn McDonald

Member of this message board since 1997

I was thinking of Shawn just last week, hoping that he was getting to enjoy all of the streamed races this season. But, damn, this is some sad news.

I hope Shawn knows that his will to battle and great attitude have been an inspiration to many people, including me. A tougher mofo there has never been. 

I was thinking of him the weekend of the Outlaws in Knoxville. Met him 1 time back in the day when there was a Hoser reunion in the HoF. great kid. God speed Shawn you will not be in pain anymore. 

Love ya man

I was here in the beginning and used to interact with him on some of the posts and knew his back story but never met him in person.  Its sad what he had to go through and he will be missed on this forum and by family and friends.  Thoughts and prayers are with Shawn.

Stan Meissner

hello hawker, its jp up in chico, please tell shawn i said thank you for his friendship!, its been a great journey! and tell him i love him! he`s been an inspiration to many, and i feel very blessed our paths crossed over 20 years ago, i got to enjoy many race`s with him, and everybody he met, they instantly loved the guy, he had a great sense of humor, and was the greatest sprintcar fan to ever to grace our tracks, we all are blessed, to have had him in our lifes, god bless him

I'm so sorry to hear this news. Shawn was one of the nicest people I met from back in the old days on the message board. I only had the pleasure to meet him briefly once in passing out here in California but I always enjoyed posting with him on the message boards. My thoughts are with him and the many who loved him during this difficult time in life.

Sounds like a real fighter and true inspiratuon.

Even though I may not know you, I 
care what most of you think!

Very sad... Hadn't seen or heard Shawns name in a few years. Just met him a time or two at MSPN's booth back a few years ago at Knoxville.

My sincere condolences... RIP Shawn.   

Damn.

Hawk,   Give Shawn a hug from us!  Like you, we met Shawn in the old chat room.  (wasnt that a great time?)  Lots of lifetime friendships were born there.    Shawn  always had a keen/sharp wit about him, considering his situation.  We officially met Shawn at the Front Row Challenge on his first trip to Knoxville.  Man was it hot that day, but he was a real trooper.  I think he got all the heat race trophys that night.  lol.   I (and 2 other work ppl) took a trip out to Perris for the Oval Nats one year and was welcomed into Shawns home by Arlene and Vic.  Unfortunately, Shawn was again in the hospital and couldnt attend the race, but I got to visit him before the race.  

N2Dirt will surely be missed, and also bet that NoDust will be first in line to welcome him into his heavenly home.. 

Shawn passed away at 6am PST. I am thankful for his friendship and be able to sit with him the past couple of days to tell him what a great inspiration he has been for me and the countless others who met him. 
 

I passed along everyone's well wishes on this thread,

Member of this message board since 1997