Well Wishes

by Ed Meyer

posted on June 4, 2009 in General Discussion | 2 Comments >>

If you have ever had the chance to catch Rene Douglas in action, you would have been impressed by his efforts. Now, he needs you to root for him more than ever.

The Douglas family is holding a round-the-clock vigil at his hospital bedside. There is a good chance he may be paralyzed. But if you read closely, there may be a chance….

His family is hoping for a full recovery, but one day at a time right at this minute. Jockey Jamie Theriot was involved in the spill last Saturday. His wife said she has never seen her husband cry so much… He said it feels like a bad dream and wished it never would have happened. We do too, Jamie. But you being there can be one of the greatest comforts for him and his family.

I have worked in racing most of my adult life, and I have never seen an occupation that supports itself like racing. They come to each others aid, and this Saturday you’ll see riders at tracks around the nation with stickers on their boot in honor of one of their own. Racing has always been a world inside the world. It is like a family even though the competition is tough, but the love and respect is tougher.

Rene Douglas is a fighter.  You could see it in his riding. But now he must summon up all of his strength in the weeks that lay ahead. But rest assured, he is not alone. At every track big and small, all riders will be showing support for one of their own.

The best part is that you can make a donation to his cause.  Check out the Jockey Guild website and take a look at how you too can be a part of the healing. Go to: www.pdjf.org and make a difference.