This was the last post on Facebook by Andy about Rob and Sue and how things are going.
We miss you Rob and keep up the fight to get better.
Tom G.
Carbinite LSR
April 22, 2021 ?
Andy here for Rob & Sue. Apologies for the incredibly long delay in posting any updates on Rob. We know many of you are praying and thinking of him and his family often. As much as we have all been hoping for major positive changes, there have not been many. Rob has been stable for about a year now. He has undergone a variety of treatments, mental and physical therapies, along with medicines and supplements. The reality is that the damage done to his brain will never fully heal. We have not given up hope for the possibility of continued long term progress, and will continue to pursue any treatments we think could be helpful, but he will never get back to his pre-crash condition and the likelihood of him progressing beyond where he is right now is very slight. Rob has pretty much all of his memory, other than about a few weeks prior to the crash and the following 6 months. His body is healthy, and so physically would be able to function, if only his brain could coordinate what he wants it to do. He has full movement, but the fine motor controls have not come back. He can do things like feeding himself, wheeling around in his wheel chair, and brushing his teeth, for example, but he is not able to perform complex activities like walking and has great difficulty typing or writing. While he can talk (slower than before) and his memories are all there, they are still jumbled and his higher level thinking is impaired by the damage to his brain. Engineering and design work unfortunately are very unlikely in Rob?s future. The problem is that he cannot pull his memories and knowledge together to consistently or reliably process it. Some things he says are spot on. Others, not so much... Sue is taking care of him full time. Her strength and commitment have been amazing to see, and she has been encouraged by your prayers and the many that have given of time and resources in so many other ways. The road was not easy for her, even prior to the crash. I was very unaware of the world of land speed racing when Rob decided to build a Lakester for an acquaintance, and then move on to designing his own car that so many people came to love, but I have come to appreciate and love the world of LSR. Looking back, I think there are many things that Rob would have done differently, and we even discussed some of these the day before the crash. He really wanted to just get the record and be done as he knew the toll that was being taken on his family and himself. Land speed racing is an incredible culture. The ingenuity and passion on display is evident, but the ?salt fever? can get so strong that it hurts those around you. Pride and selfish ambition can very easily get in the way of logic, and this was the case for Rob. I?ve also seen incredible stories of good on the salt and in racing as a whole. Rob did so many things right, but he also, admittedly, made some big mistakes along the way. If you have salt fever, I am not suggesting you give it up, but just take some time to make sure you are doing it the right way. Do not put your vehicle or goals in front of the people that you love. Do what it takes to bring them alongside, and give them the time to accept and support without forcing things. The risks are great and you don?t want to have regrets. Enjoy the salt or whatever else you are passionate about, but keep things in perspective. Put priority on the things that matter most, faith, family and friends. Based on my conversations with Rob prior to, and after the crash, I know Rob agrees. Find your purpose, joy and hope in the person of Christ and the things He says are important, as His words are true. Temporary joy is found in this life and in the things we accomplish, as this world is created by God for our enjoyment. We find that joy and purpose when we use our gifts and abilities to do great things, but the only lasting joy is found in Him. Despite the rotten turn of events that happened on the salt for Rob, his family and team, there is still hope, because our hope is not in a car or temporary pleasures. I?m also not saying we have achieved this ideal, as we still struggle at times, but we are confident that our permanent Hope is secure, knowing God provided it for us through His own sacrifice. This truth carries us, and we hope each of you can see Him more clearly because of getting to know Rob and the team. If you can, then Rob would be pleased. He said many times along the way that if this car project points just one person to Christ it would be worth it. There will not be many posts from here on out, but we will share when we have time or if things change. We do greatly appreciate the prayers and support. Don?t hesitate to reach out to me and I will pass messages on to Rob and Sue.
