OLD IRON SAVES A LIFE!

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OLD IRON SAVES A LIFE! LAST UPDATED: 05/01/2001

OLD IRON SAVES A LIFE

This webpage (created by me Michael Minery), is devoted to David McKewans terrible traffic accident he was in. Click here to see my personal homepage. Please take a look around, and let him know what you thought about this horrifying accident he was in and don't forget to sign his guestbook. Thanks. Click on the small pictures to get the full screen image.

My son at 8 weeks old. Saturday April 4, 1998 (His first car ride was in this car, coming home from the hospital after being born.)

HELLO, MY NAME IS DAVID MC KEWAN AND THIS IS MY 1967 WILDCAT CUSTOM (OR, SHOULD I SAY, WHAT IS LEFT OF IT). I AM VERY LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. I ACCREDIT THE FOLLOWING IN SAVING MY LIFE: MY GUARDIAN ANGEL SITTING IN MY LAP, MY SEAT BELT - (A LAP BELT ONLY ON 1967'S), MY 1967 WILDCAT CUSTOM WITH 42,000 ORIG. MILES, AND A WHOLE LOT OF HELP AND LUCK FROM UP ABOVE.

This photograph was taken as I entered the Valparaiso Family Fest Car Show at the Porter Memorial Fair Grounds, Sunday May 30, 1999 -- approximately two (2) hours before the crash. This picture is courtesy of Digital Works - Phoenix, Arizona - digitalwrk@aol.com

These are a few of the actual Porter County Sheriff's Police photographs taken of the crash scene on Sunday May 30, 1999. Visit their website: Porter County Sheriff's Police - Indiana

MEMORIAL WEEKEND 1999 IT HAPPENED AT 11:40 A.M. SUNDAY MAY 30TH IN FRONT OF THE PORTER COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS FAMILY FEST CAR SHOW -- VALPARAISO, INDIANA THE DRIVER OF THE DODGE INTREPID WAS DRUNK, HIS BLOOD ALCOHOL WAS 0.258% THE DRIVER WAS 19 YEARS OLD. HE IS DEAD SO ARE TWO OF HIS FRIENDS AND HE SENT TWO MORE FRIENDS TO THE HOSPITAL ONE FOR FIVE (5) WEEKS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AND ALMOST KILLED ME! I SPENT FOUR (4) DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL PLASTIC SURGERY, BONE GRAFTING, TEETH IMPLANTS, PHYSICAL THERAPY, AND PAIN ARE MY FUTURE. I WILL RECOVER BUT I WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY, HE PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER AND PASSED TWO CARS ON THE HIGHWAY AT AN EXTREME SPEED. HE LOST CONTROL RETURNING TO THE HIGHWAY, OVERCORRECTED, CROSSED THE CENTERLINE SIDEWAYS, AND SMASHED INTO ME. HIS SPEED AT IMPACT WAS ESTIMATED BETWEEN 75 MPH AND 100 MPH.

These pictures were taken at the 1999 Buick Nationals, "Buick's are Fine in '99", in Worthington (Columbus), Ohio, July 22 thru July 25, 1999. My '67 Wildcat Custom had been registered to be judged in the Archival Class before the crash. While still recovering from injuries sustained in the accident, I had my car shipped to this show as an Anti-Drunk Driving and Seat Belt Awareness Display. Sandberg's Towing and Recovery transported my vehicle, 680 miles round-trip. The car show was a big success and this display drew large crowds. I would like to thank the many people who stopped by to look what was left of my wrecked Wildcat and also to those who listened to my story and spoke with me. And especially to all the people who were able to donate to help reduce my costs associated to putting on this Anti-Drunk Driving and Seat Belt Awareness Display. $570 was collected. With trip expenses totaling to $1,580, I appreciated the help. Thank you!

1st Annual Hobart's Dam Car Show - September 23, 2000 Hobart, Indiana

Walmart's Safety Month Display - Valparaiso, Indiana Saturday October 14, 2000

1967 Buick Wildcat Custom 42,748.3 Original Miles (frozen at impact), 430 Wildcat Engine 10.25:1 Compression Ratio, 360 HP @ 5000 rpm 475 Ft-lbs. Torque @ 3200 rpm Super Turbine 400 with Variable Pitch Converter, Finned Aluminum Front Drums, Finned Rear Air Conditioning, Power Steering, Power Brakes, Power Seat, Power Antenna, Vacuum Trunk Release, Cornering Lights, Custom Interior Option, Sport Steering Wheel, Stainless Steel Door Panel Inserts, Custom Headliner with Ribbing Chrome, Interior Window Molding, Full Vinyl Interior, Front and Back Armrests, Deluxe Light Group, Smoking Set, Vanity Mirror, Speed Alert.

View my second guestbook with 250 signatures! View my first guestbook

Here is David's e-mail address: buickman67@yahoo.com

Here is the newpaper article, that David sent me of the terrible accident he was in.

Three teens killed in crash
Illinois youths die; Valparaiso man and two others were injured on Ind. 49. collision VALPARAISO- Three Illinois teens were killed and three others, including a Valparaiso man, were injured Sunday morning following a two-car accident on Ind 49 near the Porter County Expo Center. Porter County police were called about 11:43am Sunday with a report of a serious car crash at Division Road and Ind 49. Emergency responders arrived to find one victim dead at the scene and thee mangled remains of a 1994 gray Dodge Intrepid and a 1967 white Buick Wildcat. After reconstructing the accident, police determined the Intrepid was southbound on Ind. 49 when the driver, a 19-year-old male from Chicago, lost control of the vehicle and swerved onto the right shoulder. The driver attempted to regain control, but the car then crossed the center line into the northbound lanes and continued sideways into traffic. At about the same time, David G. McKewan, 35 of Valparaiso, had just turned north onto Ind. 49 from Division Road. According to police, McKewan attempted to brake hard but could not avoid the crash. The impact forced his car backwards and pushed the front end into the passenger compartment. The driver's side of the Intrepid was smashed in, and the car spun away before coming to rest off the roadway. Two of the backseat passengers were thrown from the Intrepid, and found in the southbound lanes. Rescue workers had to extricate the driver and the passenger behind him, who were pinnned in the car. The victim found dead at the scene - a 19-year-old male from Arlington Heights, Ill. -was also a passenger in the Intrepid. The driver - 19-year-old male, and another passenger a 19-year-old female from Chicago - died later while being treated at Porter Memorial Hospital. Police were still attempting to notify the victim's families Sunday evening so their names were not released. The remaing two passendgers - Krzysztof Kieta, 19, of Chicago and Krzysztof R. Spiewak, 17 of Chicago - were admitted to Porter Memorial. Kieta suffered from broken ribs, and Spiewak was listed in critical condition. McKewan was admitted to the hospital with multiple facial injuries and listed in fair condition.

I would like to thank the following people for their help during my accident and continuing recovery: My wife My son Our families Our friends and neighbors My many doctors and their staffs
The members of the Buick Club of America and the visitors attending the 1999 Buick Nationals in Worthington-Columbus, Ohio who took the time to view my display. All of the people at the Buick Nationals who donated the $570 to help with my display expenses of $1,580.
The community of Valparaiso Porter County Sheriff's Police Valparaiso Police Department Valparaiso Fire Department
All of you that have taken the time to look at this webpage. Any other individuals that I may have absent mindedly forgotten.
The Porter County Chapter of FEMALE (Formerly Employed Mothers at the Leading Edge - www.femalehome.org ) of which my wife is a member - for the childcare help and the many dinners. Salvation Army - Pittsburgh Divisional Headquarters - Officers' and Employees' Prayer Meeting Group
Sandberg's Towing and Recovery - Valparaiso, Indiana (219) 462-4622 For transporting my Wildcat and traveling to and from the 1999 Buick Nationals. Also, for the handling of the Wildcat from the accident scene and protected storage of it while in their yard. (Sandberg's also unloaded the Wildcat, '69 LeSabre, and my '71 GS from the moving van when I relocated to Valparaiso.)
Digital Works - Phoenix, Arizona - digitalwrk@aol.com For the matted photographs, the key chains, and the digital image of my '67 Wildcat Custom taken as I entered the Valparaiso Family Fest Car Show at the Porter Memorial Fair Grounds, Sunday May 30, 1999 -- approximately two (2) hours prior to the crash.
Walgreen's Drug Store - Valparaiso, Indiana For donation of all photographic reprints, blowups, and slipcovers for the display. Wal-Mart Supercenter - Valparaiso, Indiana For donation of the bulletin boards for the display. Homewood Suites, Columbus, Ohio - Sales Account Manager State Farm Insurance - Columbus, Ohio For donation of Anti-Drunk Driving and Seat Belt Awareness pamphlets.
and Michael Minery for making this webpage.
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